LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 

Si: 
UNITED STATUS OF AMERICA. I 



THE 

CHRISTIAN'S COMPANION 

TO 

3Ctje Sick cmb Afflfcteb ; 

CONTAINING, 

IN ADDITION TO MANY ORIGINAL PRAYERS, A NUMBER SE- 
LECTED FROM SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR DEVOTIONAL 
WORKS ; INCLUDING SOME OCCASIONAL OFFICES, 
FROM THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER. TO 
WHICH IS ADDED A VERY CHOICE COLLEC- 
TION OF MATTER FOR READING, WITH 
SEVERAL ADDRESSES. 

BY THE 

^uttjar of an " 3lib to Domestic flflorsijip," 

MUCH ENLARG^lXD IMPROVED. 



Sh, 



i % ' b f As o'er the earth the evening dew, 

Or gentle spring's refreshing showers, 
The moistening balm distil 

To wake to life the drooping flowers, 
So falls upon the sorrowing heart 

The soothing voice of Christian prayer, 
And words of pitying love 

Leave peace and heavenly calmness there. 



THIRD EDITION. 
■ 
flottgljhwiwe, ft W. 

WTTr» RV A \T MAT/21TJT 



PUBLISHED BY A. V 

12 LIBERTY STREET. 




y OFW- 



U' 






Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1882, 

by D. L. Clarkson, Dutchess County, N. Y. 
in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 



*f0B LDMtARY 



"Snaamntty as vft ba»£ bone it tmio ont oftift bast 
of iljm mn b«ttjr*H, tje bao* botue tt tmto $l^ 



|ft $fmtisifs |flinpai|ifln. 



11 Think not the good, 
The gentle deeds of mercy, thou hast done, 
Shall die forgotten all ;— the poor, the prisoner, 
The fatherless, the friendless, and the widow, 
Who daily own the bounty of thy hand, 
Shall cry to Heaven, and draw a Blessing down.' 



The following testimonials were given 
in 1853, when this work was first pub- 
lished : 

Extract from Letter of the Rev. James 
Chapman. 

" I consider this little work as the best devo- 
tional book for general use of all the numerous 
productions of the kind which I possess, or 
have read. Well is this Manual calculated to 
benefit both the understanding and the heart of 
all who use it as an aid to devotion. The mis- 
cellaneous selections of reading matter are the 
best that I have seen for edification of readers 
in the true faith of the Gospel and in holiness 
of life. I hope that effectual measures will be 
taken for the general diffusion of a work so 
well calculated for the promotion of Christian 
knowledge and piety." 



Extract from Letter of Bishop Doane. 

" So far as my occupations have allowed me 
to examine it, it seems to me to be in the 
words of the Prayer Book, and in its spirit. 

4 



There can be no higher praise. / cheerfully 
recommend it. And let me add, it delights me 
to recognize the hand of an old acquaintance 
in a work so pure." 



Letter of Bishop Brownell. 

" Gentlemen : My eyesight is so poor that 
I have not been able to give more than a cursory 
look into the beautiful little book you sent me. 

I would think it an excellent family book, 
particularly in season of affliction and sick- 
ness : while it must be a valuable aid to clergy- 
men in the performance of their pastoral du- 
ties." 



Extract from Letter of Bishop Burgess. 

"The design, tenor, and general execution 
of the work, are excellent ; its doctrinal tone 
seems eminently pure, and I cannot doubt that 
it will be found a precious comfort in many a 
chamber of sickness and sorrow." 



Letter of Bishop TVhitehouse. 

'- Gentlemen : I have read the ' Christian's 
Companion,' which you did me the favor of 
sending, and cheerfully add my mite of com- 
mendation as a work admirably conceived and 
executed. 

5 



" I shall endeavor to extend the use of it, 
with thankfulness to its author, and the cer- 
tainty of its doing good in a form and spirit for 
which I know no substitute" 



Extract from Letter of Rer. H. M. Mason, 

Easton, Maryland. 

" In its tone, it is truly saintly. It is of that 
class of works in which the soul delights to re- 
fresh itself from the perplexities of life, and 
the elemental strife of controversy. Its odor is 
of heaven for the chamber of the sick. It is not 
a work of which it would be becoming to speak 
in the language of literary panegyric. In any 
devotional book there must either, directly or 
indirectly, be conveyed some doctrinal teach- 
ing, but he who is most alive to the interest of 
Christ and his Church, will find in this volume 
nothing that is not fitted to increase his affec- 
tion for both. I know not its author, but he 
cannot be otherwise than * * * * who 
has prepared so well a book, which so fills the 
mind of the reader with the desire at least of 
growing in goodness. I could wish that the 
office, in full, for the ^Visitation of the Sick, 
had been added. It is superfluous to say, 
with such an appreciation of the volume, that 

*This is now included. 

6 



I heartily wish it success, and that the author 
may find his reward in time, as well as in 
eternity, in the blessing of many a world- 
wearied heart, and in the divine approbation 
to a good and faithful servant." 



Extract from Letter of the Bey. W. E. 
Wyatt, D. D. 

"It is valuable as an instrument of much 
good in a department not amply provided for. 
As far as my opportunity has allowed me to 
become acquainted with it, it appears to me 
sound in principle ; fervent in the tone of its piety, 
and judicious in language and style. I trust 
that its author will derive from this, and his 
other offices of charity, the best recompense of 
his faith." 



Extract from Letter of the Kev. E, H. 
Canfleld. 

" It has fewer defects, and more excellen- 
cies, than any work of the kind I have ever 
seen ; and I most cordially subscribe to the 
'Opinion of the Work,' which precedes the 
Preface." 

Letter of Rev. John S. Stone, D. D., Brook- 
line, Mass. 

" Gentlemen : I have read considerable por- 
tions of ' The Companion,' and am led to be" 

7 



lieve that a perusal of the whole would justify 
the elaborate ' Opinion of the Work ' prefixed 
to the author's Preface. In its variety, as well 
as in its evangelical spirit, it supplies a want 
which many have felt, and may be used with 
comfort, and to edification, both to those who 
give and to those who receive the ministries of 
Christian consolation and instruction, amid 
' the changes and chances of this mortal life.' " 

Extract from Letter of Rev. Thomas At- 
kinson, D. D. 

"I have examined 'The Companion,' and 
am, on the whole, very much pleased with it. 
The expression in the first prayer ' for the af- 
flicted ' I would omit — ' they with us.' It fa- 
vors a practice unauthorized by our Church, 
and susceptible of gross abuse. The general 
tone of the book is, however, altogether free from 
exception on this ground, and is, I think, admira- 
ble. Its varied prayers, taken, most of them, 
from the best sources, supply a want often felt 
both by Clergy and Laity, and especially by the lat- 
ter, in seasons of sickness and trouble." 



Extract from Letter of Rey. Wm. I. Kip, 
Albany. 

" I have examined the 'Companion' with 
much pleasure, and consider it the best collec- 



Hon of prayers for the sick and afflicted, with 
which I have met. They are admirably se- 
lected, and seem to contain every variety, 
adapted to all cases. // will be particularly 
valuable to the clergy in their pastoral labors. It 
is published, too, in a way to form a beautiful 
volume." 



Extract from Letter of Key. Dr. Tan 
Kleeck, of Troy. 

' ' I am happy to find in it what I have long 
desired, a collection of prayers and medita- 
tions, sound in doctrine, ptire in sentiment, cor- 
rect in taste, and devotional in feeling, which 
could only have been compiled by one deeply 
imbued with the spirit of the Liturgy, refined 
in taste, and tender in sympathy and piety. A 
few expressions and alterations of the very 
words of the Prayer Book, all of which are 
with me sacred and dear, are only as spots on 
the sun of its many excellencies. May its 
radiant sunshine illumine many a darkened 
chamber and many a saddened hearth, and its 
excellent author have his recompense in the 
grateful prayers of the sick, the sorrowful, and 
the dying." 



©pinion r>f tijje Woxk, 

Prefixed to the First Edition, in 1833. 
By Mr. , A. M. 

At the request of the author of the 
"Christian's Companion," I have given 
the whole a very careful and thorough ex- 
amination. With no prejudice, except 
that induced by the intrinsic merits, beau- 
ties and excellences of the entire work, as 
I have progressed through its rich and 
glowing pages, I believe it will be a most; 
invaluable accession to the religious books 
now in use, within the sphere of Christian 
duty and benevolence. The character of 
the book, the end it has in view, and its 
comprehensiveness, so varied and so com- 
plete, will render it adequate to fill that 
void which has been so often felt by the 
benevolent Christian in the discharge of 
his duties among the sick and afflicted. 
To them, too, for whom it seems to have 
been chiefly designed, for their spiritual 
benefit and consolation, it will prove an 



instructive, silent, but eloquent preacher, 
pointing them to the Great Source of all 
happiness, directing their steps thereto, 
encouraging and reviving the drooping 
spirit, and enlightening the hope with a 
glowing and reliable assurance of its full 
fruition hereafter. 

The Prayers form the best collection I 
have ever read. Besides their literary 
merit, perspicuity of style, &c, for which 
they excel, they breathe such a spirit of 
fervor, meekness, faith, hope, and peni- 
tence, that they need but be read to be 
felt. In their variety they embrace almost 
every exigency in human life. From the 
cradle of infancy to the death bed of age, 
from the impenitent to the " saint just on 
the wing for heaven," this book contains 
an appropriate prayer for each and all in 
affliction. 

The Sunday School Teacher and Scholar 
will also here find the most beautiful and 
appropriate prayers for their use and 
benefit. 

The Reading Matter of the work, in- 
terspersed with appropriate and beautiful 



poetry, is a Casket of Jewels that can 
make even the pallid brow of death radi- 
ant with beaming hope and joy. 

No believer of the Bible, even in the 
vigor of health, can read this portion of 
the book, without such emotions respect- 
ing heaven, eternity, happiness, and his 
own immortality, as will make him better 
for having perused it. To the sick and 
afflicted, containing as it does so much of 
the soothing language of the Scriptures, 
accompanied with appropriate encourage- 
ments, in the spirit of kindness and sin- 
cerity, explaining and applying the blessed 
promises of God and the Savior to the 
sick, — I say, I believe, next to the Bible, 
it will be their best book of comfort and 
consolation. 

The diversity and applicability of its 
contents to the duties of the Pastor ; will 
I am confident, recommend it at once to 
his favor and patronage : written in the 
orthodox doctrines of his faith, he will 
find it a convenient aid to his ministra- 
tions upon the sick and afflicted. 

In short, this work, from its practical 



utility, from the nature of its objects, from 
the comprehensiveness and spirit of its 
contents, strongly commends itself to the 
use and patronage of all ; but especially 
to the Pastor ; the Sunday School Teacher, 
and the Sick ; to the latter it cannot be 
too highly recommended, as, in my hum- 
ble opinion, there is not its equal of a simi- 
lar character extant. And when given to 
the public, it cannot fail to accomplish 
the good and administer the comfort for 
which it was designed by its benevolent 
author. 



The author of this work, having had no 
knowledge of any manual of devotion, 
combining suitable matter for reading and 
prayer, sufficiently full and comprehensive 
to meet the diversified character and con- 
dition of the sick and afflicted, has been 
induced to attempt to supply the want of 
it by the publication of this. 

Suffering and sorrow being the common 
lot of humanity, whatever has a tendency 
in any measure to mitigate or relieve it, 
cannot be otherwise than useful. And, 
calculated as this book is, in the hands of 
the pious and good, and with the blessing 
of God, to produce this effect, he flatters 
himself that it may be the means of pro- 
moting, extensively, the spiritual and eter- 
nal welfare of " the sons and daughters of 
affliction." 

With a view to accommodate it to the 
use of the Clergy in their ministrations 
on the sick and dying, the author has in- 
corporated most of the offices for the sick 
14 



in the Common Prayer Book, together 
with its inimitably beautiful and impres- 
sive service for the dead. This circum- 
stance, he trusts, in connection with the 
suitable adaptation of the rest of its con- 
tents to the requirements of those who 
"are any ways afflicted or distressed in 
mind, body, or estate," will commend it 
to their approbation and use. To make 
it the more acceptable to them, and also 
to all others who may be disposed to co- 
operate with them in the Godlike work of 
alleviating the distresses of their fellow- 
creatures, (and many such there are in 
this age of active Christian benevolence,) 
he has taken care that the prayers should 
be sufficiently various ; and that the topics 
of religious consolation, and matter for 
discourse with the afflicted, should be 
copious and appropriate. With this view, 
also, he has had it put in a form that will 
make it conveniently portable. 

With regard to the devotional part, he 

would here remark, that the prayers are so 

arranged as to admit of their being readily 

diversified, should occasion require, mere- 

15 



ly by the transposition of one or more por- 
tions of one prayer to those of another. 

In the matter for reading will be found 
much, calculated, not only to instruct and 
edify, but also to excite and foster a spirit 
of piety and benevolence, as well as to 
comfort and encourage those who are al- 
ready engaged in works of charity and 
love. This was inserted with particular 
reference to the young, as many Sunday 
School Teachers and others (see the fol- 
lowing poetical description of " the Fe- 
male Sunday School Teacher ") will 
doubtless have occasion to provide them- 
selves with a copy of this work. And for 
their use, also, it was, that the prayers de- 
signed to be offered for Sunday Scholars 
were written. 

In conclusion, the author would take 
the liberty to suggest to all parents the 
propriety of putting at least one copy of 
this manual in the hands of their children, 
and also of encouraging them in the fre- 
quent use of it among the many " who are 
in sorrow, trouble, need, sickness, or ad- 
versity" of any kind. By so doing, not 

16 



only would they see them happy in that 
" luxury " of feeling which those only ex- 
perience who thus employ themselves, but 
would also be likely to have the satisfac- 
tion of having them grow up beautiful or- 
naments of religion, and instruments of 
good in their generation. And thus doing 
they would live in a manner answerable to 
the requirements of Him who himself 
"went about doing good," and who, by 
the mouth of his apostle, has said, " To 
do good and to communicate, forget not." 

In the service of mankind to be 
A Guardian Angel here below, — to employ- 
Life's fleeting hours in godlike deeds, — 
Such as may raise us above the world, 
And make us shine forever — this is 
The Christian's life. 



Thk Female Sunday School Teacher. 
The last at the foot of the cross, who stood weeping, 

The first at the door of the tomb to proclaim 
Her Savior in death there no longer was sleeping, 

Was pitying woman, who's ever the same. 
It is not the grace of her form, nor her beauty, 

That lends to her influence the power of its charm ; 
A heart that's inclined to love, pity, and duty, 

With virtue, to woman e'er gives the bright palm. 

By nature endowed with kindness and love, 
With sympathies pure, and feelings refined ; 

With graces adorned, that flow from above, 
To God and religion her heart e'er inclined, — 

O, who, in the paths of virtue and truth, 

So fitted to lead the child and the youth ! 

The fields of her toil, that are brightest with flowers 
Immortal in beauty, when cultured to bloom, 

And gladden with glory perennial bowers, 
Redeemed from the blight and decay of the tomb, 

Are Sunday School fields,— her pupils the flowers, 

Whose spirits she nurtures for heavenly bowers. 

Toil on ! for the seed (ere the tares) that is sown, 
Though choked for a while, kind memory will keep, 

And when youthful fancies and follies have flown, 
The fruits of true wisdom and piety will reap ; 

Though bending with age, yet gleaming with gold, 

The harvest shall count to thee, hundreds in fold. 

1 oil on ! thou art moulding the pillar of state, — 
Art clothing the warrior in armor of truth ; 

The preacher, the statesman, the g-ood and thegreat; 
All, all thou art fashioning there in the youth. 



O, teach them in faith their Redeemer to love, 
Obedient to God, their Creator, above. 

Toil on ! those sweet flowerets, so lovely in bloom, 
That death hath relentlessly snatched from thy care, 

And, withering, consigned to the dust of the tomb, 
More lovely are blooming in paradise, where 

Sweet voices in anthems of gladness they raise, 

Their Savior and thee, forever to praise. 

Toil on ! those young spirits, so gentle and pure, 
That glow with delight of their Savior to hear, 

Thy teachings will save from the vices that lure ; 
In heaven the robes thou art weaving they'll wear, 

Adorning thy crown with bright jewels that glow, 

Rewarding thy labor in Christ's vineyard below. 



19 



Zxtizt to jllra^rs. 



PART FIRST. 

Ad Office of Devotion, that may be used with the 

Sick 26 

Another Office of Devotion 29 

For a sick Child 32 

For one troubled in Mind or Conscience 33 

For a Case of sudden Surprise, and immediate dan- 
ger 34 

For a Case of small Hope of Recovery 35 

A commendatory Prayer at the Point of Departure. . 36 

Thanksgiving for the Beginning of a Recovery 37 

Collects to be used before or alter the Prayers 39 

A general Prayer for the Sick . 43 

Another general Prayer for the Sick 45 

For a sick Person 46 

For one very sick, and in much Pain 49 

Another, for one very sick, and in much Pain 52 

For a very sick Person 54 

For one that his Sickness may be sanctified to his 

Good 57 

For Recovery, and for spiritual . Consolatiou and 

Benefit 60 

For a sick Person— a general Prayer 63 

For a sick Person 64 

A penitential Prayer 66 

For an impenitent Person 68 

For one in a bad State 70 

For an impenitent Sinner 71 

For one who is penitent 73 

Another Prayer for one who is penitent 76 

For Forgiveness 77 

For one much dejected in Mind 78 

20 



For a sick Person troubled with Doubts and Difficul- 
ties 80 

For a Person in Despondency S3 

For a sick Person of weak Faith 85 

For a sick Person who desireth Pardon 87 

For a sick Person who is in great want of Sleep 90 

For Consolation 91 

For Submission 92 

Another Prayer for Submission and Resignation ... 94 

When any Member ot the Family is sick 95 

A Prayer under sad Accidents and Disasters befall- 
ing the Body 97 

For one who has experienced a heavy Affliction, arid 

also for the Family 9S 

For the Afflicted 101 

Another Prayer for the Afflicted 102 

For one under grievous Pains 103 

A second Prayer for one in great Pain 106 

A third Prayer for one under grievous Pains 109 

For one who cannot unite in the Prayer understand- 

ingly Ill 

For one who has experienced Ease, both in Mind 

and Body 113 

For one who has experienced much Relief 115 

Another, for one who is much better 117 

Thanksgiving for complete Recovery 120 

Another Thanksgiving for complete Recovery 123 

Thanksgiving for Recovery 124 

A Prayer that may be added to either of the fore- 
going 125 

For a young Person who is sick 126 

For a sick Child 128 

A second Prayer 129 

A third Prayer 130 

For a Child that is likely to die 132 

For a Sunday School Scholar, very sick 133 

For a Sunday School Scholar of responsible Age, sick 
and anxious about the Salvation of his Soul — 135 
21 



For a Sunday School Scholar, sick and penitent 137 

For a Sunday School Scholar of responsible Age, 

sick unto Death, and without Hope in Christ. . . 139 
For a Sunday gchool Teacher in Sickness and Pain 141 
For a Family, suddenly bereaved of a Child by Ac- 
cident 143 

For a Family, of which two or more are sick with a 

contagious Disease 145 

A Prayer with a Family 147 

Another Prayer with a Family 151 

For a Sunday School Scholar, sick and in great Pain 153 
For a Sunday School Scholar, in a protracted Ill- 
ness, with slight Hopes of Recovery 155 

For a Sunday School Scholar in Pain, who has re- 
cently met with a severe Accident 157 

For a Person who is very sick 159 

For one very ill 161 

Another for one very ill 164 

For one dangerously ill 165 

Another for one dangerously ill 168 

For one very sick, that he may be resigned to die. . .170 

For a due Preparation for Death 171 

A Prayer with one who has Thoughts of being bap- 
tized • 173 

A Prayer with one who desires Baptism 176 

A Prayer with a baptized Person, in Relation to the 

Lord's Supper 178 

For a dying Man past Hope of Recovery 179 

For one dying 181 

For one past Hope of Recovery 1S4 

For a dying Person 185 

Prayer that may be used with some of the preceding 
Prayers when there appears but little Hope of 

Recovery 186 

Prayers that may be added, either separately or en- 
tire I 87 

22 



Prayer that can be added to some other Prayer for 

one who is very sick 188 

Prayer to be used after the Departure of the Soul.. .189 

A Prayer for the Family of the Deceased 190 

Another Prayer for the Family of the Deceased 191 

On the Death of a Friend 191 

After the Death of a Friend or Relative .". 192 

A Prayer that may be added 194 

Another, that may be said after the Death of a Person 195 

After the Death of a Neighbor 196 

After the Death of a Child, or on Occasion of a Fu- 
neral 197 

Another, upon the Death of a Christian Friend ... .198 
A Prayer for a Family on Occasion of the Death of 

one of its Members 200 

For the Husband of a deceased Wife 202 

For the Wife of a deceased Husband 203 

For the Children 203 

A Prayer that may be said either before or after a 

Funeral 204 

Another to be used before a Funeral, or after the De- 
cease of a Person 206 

Order of the Visitation of the Sick 209 

A Prayer for a Sick Child , 219 

A Prayer for a Sick Person, when there appeareth 

but small hopes of recovery 220 

A Commendatory Prayer for a Sick Person at the 

Point of Departure 222 

A Prayer for Persons troubled in Mind or in Con- 
science 223 

A Prayer which may be said by the Minister, in be- 
half of all present at the Visitation .224 

A Prayer which may be said in case of Sudden 

Surprise and immediate Danger 225 

A Thanksgiving for the beginning of a Recovery. . .226 

The Order for the Burial of the Dead 227 

Funeral Hymns 239 



23 



" Sickness and affliction weigh down the 
spirit of man, and prostrate all his powers. 
Hence he requires all that human sympathy 
and friendship can give him. And never is 
man seen in a more amiable and benevolent 
character than when ministering to the dis- 
tresses of his fellow-man, and compassionat- 
ing him by the compassion wherewith he him- 
self has been compassionated of God." 
' ' Taught by that Power that pities me, 
I learn to pity them." 



Stj£ temrrr x>f teras. 

Go thou and wipe away the tear which dims the 

widow's eye, 
Be a father to the fatherless, and still the orphan's 

sigh ; 
Help thou thy brother in distress, with open hand 

and heart ; 
But do thou this when seen by none save Him who 

dwells apart. 
Rejoice with those of spirits glad ; upraise the 

drooping head, 
And to the wretched, let thy words bring back the 

hope long fled. 
Forgive as thou wouldst be forgiven, and for thy 

fellows live ; 
Be happy in the happiness thou canst to others give. 
These are the heavenly luxuries the poorest can 

enjoy ; 
These are the blissful banquets of which none can 

ever cloy. 
Rich and poor, old and young, know this, as well ye 

should : 
The Luxury of Luxuries is that of doing 

good. 



^Oart^trst 



AN OFFICE OF DEVOTION, THAT MAY BE 
USED WITH THE SICK. 

WE bow down before thee, O Lord of 
heaven and earth, acknowledging 
that we are but dust, and unworthy to 
speak to thee either for ourselves or others. 

And yet, notwithstanding our unworthi- 
ness, we are encouraged by thy gracious 
promises and endearing goodness to ap- 
proach thy throne of mercy with hope and 
confidence, and to supplicate thy favor in 
behalf of this thy sick servant. 

Let thy merciful ears, O Lord, be now 
open to our prayers ; and that we may ob- 
tain our petitions, make us to ask such 
things as please thee, through Jesus Christ, 
our Lord. 

Lord, look down from heaven, we 
humbly beseech thee : behold, visit, and 
relieve this, thy sick servant, in whose be- 
half we now pray. Look upon him with 
26 



the eyes of thy mercy, comfort him with a 
sense of thy goodness, preserve him from 
the temptation of the enemy, and keep 
him in peace and safety, for the sake of 
Jesus Christ, our Lord. 

Here use what follows, or such other Prayers in 
this book as may be suitable. 

HEAR us, almighty and most merciful 
God and Savior ; extend thy accus- 
tomed goodness to this, thy servant, whom 
thou hast afflicted with sickness. Sanctify 
this, thy fatherly correction to him, that 
the sense of his weakness may add 
strength to his faith, and seriousness to 
his repentance ; that if it shall be thy 
good pleasure to restore him to his former 
health, he may lead the residue of his life 
in thy fear, and to thy glory • or else give 
him grace so to take thy visitation, that, 
after this painful life ended, he may dwell 
with thee in life everlasting, through Jesus 
Christ, our Lord. 

And O, merciful Father, who, accord- 
ing to the multitude of thy mercies, doth 
so put away the sins of those who truly 
repent, that thou rememberest them no 
27 



more, freely and fully forgive him all his 
past sins. Renew in him whatever has 
been decayed by the fraud and malice of 
the devil, or by his own carnal will and 
frailness ; preserve and continue him in 
the unity of the Church ; consider his con - 
trition, accept his tears, assuage his pains, 
and bless the means for his recovery, as 
shall seem to thee most expedient. And 
forasmuch as he putteth his full trust only 
in thy mercy, impute not unto him his for- 
mer sins, but strengthen him with thy 
blessed spirit ; and whensoever thou art 
pleased to take him hence, take him unto 
thyself, for the merits of Jesus Christ, our 
Lord. 

O God, whose days are without end, 
and whose mercies cannot be numbered, 
make us all, we beseech thee, deeply sen- 
sible of the shortness and uncertainty of 
human life ; and let thy Holy Spirit lead 
us through this vale of misery, in holiness 
and righteousness, all our days ; that when 
we shall have served thee in our genera- 
tion, we may be gathered unto our fathers, 
having the testimony of a good conscience ; 
28 



in the communion of the catholic Church ; 
in the confidence of a certain faith; in 
the comfort of a reasonable, religious 
hope ; in favor with thee, our God, and in 
perfect charity with the world ; all which 
we ask for the sake of Jesus Christ our 
Lord. 

And now, unto thy gracious mercy and 
protection, O God, we commend this thy 
sick servant. May the Lord bless and 
keep him ; may the Lord make his face 
to shine upon him, and be gracious unto 
him ; may the Lord lift up his counte- 
nance upon him, and give him peace now 
and evermore. Amen. 

ANOTHER OFFICE OF DEVOTION. 

All present will join in the general Confession, as 

follows : 

ALMIGHTY and most merciful Father, 
we have erred and strayed from thy 
ways like lost sheep. We have followed 
too much the devices and desires of our 
own hearts. We have offended against 
thy holy laws. We have left undone those 
things which we ought to have done, and 
29 



we have done those things which we ought 
not to have done ; and there is no health 
in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy 
upon us, miserable offenders. Spare thou 
those, O God, who confess their faults. 
Restore thou those who are penitent, ac- 
cording to thy promises, declared unto 
mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And 
grant, O most merciful Father, for his 
sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, 
righteous, and sober life, to the glory of 
thy holy Name. Amen. 

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, 
who of thy great mercy hath promised for- 
giveness of sins to all those who, with 
hearty repentance and true faith, turn 
unto thee, have mercy upon us ; pardon 
and deliver us from all our sins ; confirm 
and strengthen us in all goodness; and 
bring us to everlasting life, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. 

Here use the folloxving, and one or more in this 
book. 

FATHER of mercies, and God of all 
comfort, our only help in time of 
need ; we humbly beseech thee to behold, 
30 



visit, and relieve thy sick servant, for 
whom our prayers are desired. Look 
upon him with the eyes of thy mercy; 
comfort him with a sense of thy goodness ; 
preserve him from the temptations of the 
enemy ; give him patience under his af- 
fliction ; and in thy good time restore him 
to health, and enable him to live the resi- 
due of his life in thy fear and to thy glory. 
Or else give him grace so to take thy vis- 
itation, that, after this painful life ended, 
he may dwell with thee in life everlasting, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

WE humbly beseech thee, O Father, 
mercifully to look upon our infirm- 
ities ; and for the glory of thy name turn 
from this thy sick servant, and from all 
who are here present, all those evils which 
we most justly deserve ; and grant, that 
in all our troubles we may put our whole 
trust and confidence in thy mercy, and 
evermore serve thee in holiness, and pure- 
ness of living, to thy honor and glory, 
through our only Mediator and Advocate, 
Jesus Christ. 



ALMIGHTY God, who hast given us 
grace at this time, with one accord, 
to make these our supplications unto thee, 
and dost promise that, when two or three 
are gathered together in thy name, thou 
wilt grant their requests, fulfill now, we 
beseech thee, the desires and petitions of 
thy servants, as in thine infinite wisdom 
thou shalt see fit, for the sake of thy Son, 
Jesus Christ our Lord. 

FOR A SICK CHILD. 

ALMIGHTY God and merciful Fath- 
er, to whom alone belong the issues 
of life and death, look down from heaven, 
we humbly beseech thee, with the eyes of 
mercy, upon this child now lying upon the 
bed of sickness. Visit him, O Lord, with 
thy salvation ; deliver him in thy good ap- 
pointed time from his bodily pain, and 
save his soul, for thy mercies' sake ; that, 
if it shall be thy pleasure to prolong his 
days here on earth, he may live to thee, 
and be an instrument of thy glory by serv- 
ing thee faithfully, and doing good in his 
generation j or else receive him in those 
32 



heavenly habitations, where the souls of 
those who sleep in Jesus enjoy perpetual 
rest and felicity. Grant this, O Lord, for 
thy mercies' sake, in the same Jesus Christ 
our Lord. Amen. 

FOR ONE TROUBLED IN MIND OR CON- 
SCIENCE. 

BLESSED Lord, the Father of mer- 
cies, and the God of all comfort, we 
beseech thee to look down in pity and 
compassion upon this thy afflicted servant. 
Thou writest bicter things against him, 
and makest him to possess his former in- 
iquities ; thy wrath lieth hard upon him, 
and his soul is full of trouble. But, O 
merciful God, who hast written thy holy 
Word for our learning, that we, through 
patience and comfort of thy holy Scrip- 
tures, might have hope, give him a right 
understanding of himself, and of thy 
threats and promises, that he may neither 
cast away his confidence in thee, nor 
place it anywhere but in thee. Give him 
strength under all his temptations, and 
heal all his distempers. Break not the 
33 



bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. 
Shut not up thy tender mercies in displeas- 
ure, but make him to hear of joy and glad- 
ness, that the bones which thou hast 
broken may rejoice. Deliver him from 
fear of the enemy, and lift up the light of 
thy countenance upon him, and give him 
peace, for the merits and mediation of 
thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

FOR A CASE OF SUDDEN SURPRISE, AND IM- 
MEDIATE DANGER. 

OMOST gracious Father, we fly unto 
thee for mercy in behalf of this thy 
servant, here lying under the sudden visi- 
tation of thy hand. If it be thy will, pre- 
serve his life, that there may be place for 
repentance; but if thou hast otherwise 
appointed, let thy mercy supply to him the 
want of the usual opportunity for the 
trimming of his lamp. Stir up in him such 
sorrow for sin, and such fervent love to 
thee, as may, in a short time, do the work 
of many days ; that among the praises 
which thy saints and holy angels shall 
sing to the honor of thy mercy, through 
34 



eternal ages, it may be to thy unspeakable 
glory that thou hast redeemed the soul of 
this thy servant from eternal death, and 
made him partaker of the everlasting life, 
which is through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 

FOR A CASE OF SMALL HOPE OF RECOVERY. 

FATHER of mercies and God of all 
comfort, our only help in time of 
need, we fly unto thee for succor in be- 
half of this thy servant, here lying under 
thy hand in great weakness of body. Look 
graciously upon him, O Lord ; and the 
more the outward man decayeth, strength- 
en him, we beseech thee, so much the 
more continually with thy grace and Holy 
Spirit in the inner man. Give him un- 
feigned repentance for all the errors of his 
life past, and steadfast faith in thy Son 
Jesus Christ ; that his sins may be done 
away by thy mercy, and his pardon sealed 
in heaven before he go hence and be no 
more seen. We know, O Lord, that with 
thee nothing is impossible, and that if 
thou wilt thou canst even yet raise him 
35 



up, and grant him a longer continuance 
amongst us ; yet, forasmuch as in all ap- 
pearance the time of his dissolution draws 
near, so fit and prepare him, we beseech 
thee, against the hour of death, that after 
his departure hence in peace, and in thy 
favor, his soul may be received into thine 
everlasting kingdom, through the merits 
and mediation of Jesus Christ, thine only 
Son our Lord and Savior. Amen. 

A COMMENDATORY PRAYER AT THE POINT 
OF DEPARTURE. 

ALMIGHTY God, with whom do 
live the spirits of just men made per- 
fect, after they are delivered from their 
earthly prisons, we humbly commend the 
soul of this thy servant into thy hands, as 
into the hands of a faithful Creator and 
most merciful Savior, most humbly be- 
seeching thee that it may be precious in 
thy sight. Wash it, we pray thee, in the 
blood of that immaculate Lamb that was 
slain to take away the sins of the world ; 
that whatever defilements it may have con- 
tracted in the midst of this miserable and 
36 



naughty world, through the lusts of the 
flesh or the wiles of Satan, being purged 
and done away, it may be presented pure 
and without spot before thee. And teach 
us who survive, in this and other like daily 
spectacles of mortality, to see how frail 
and uncertain our own condition is, and 
so to number our days that we may seri- 
ously apply our hearts to that wisdom, 
whilst we live here, which may in the end 
bring us to life everlasting, through the 
merits of Jesus Christ, thine only Son our 
Lord. 

The following may be added : 

O God, whose days, &c. (See page 28.) 

A THANGSGIVING FOR THE BEGINNING OF A 
RECOVERY. 

GREAT and mighty God, who bringest 
down to the grave and bringest up 
again, we bless thy wonderful goodness for 
having turned our heaviness into joy, and 
our mourning into gladness, by restoring 
this our brother to some degree of his for- 
mer health. Blessed be thy name, that 
thou didst not forsake him in his sickness, 



but didst visit him with comforts from 
above, didst support him in patience and 
submission to thy will, and at last didst 
send him seasonable relief. Perfect, we 
beseech thee, this thy mercy towards him, 
and prosper the means which shall be 
made use of for his cure ; that, being re- 
stored to health of body, vigor of mind, 
and cheerfulness of spirit, he may be able 
to go to thine house, to offer thee an ob- 
lation with great gladness, and to bless 
thy holy name for all thy goodness to- 
wards him, through Jesus Christ our Sav- 
ior, to whom, with thee and the Holy 
Ghost, be all honor and glory, world with- 
out end. Amen. . 



38 



The following may be used before or after any 
other Prayer. 



OLORD, we beseech thee mercifully to 
hear our prayers, and spare all those 
who confess their sins unto thee ; that they 
whose consciences by sin are accused, by 
thy merciful pardon may be absolved, 
through Christ Jesus our Lord. 
2. 

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who 
hatest nothing that thou hast made, 
and dost forgive the sins of all those who 
are penitent, create in us new and con- 
trite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting 
our sins, and acknowledging our wretched- 
ness, may obtain of thee, who aboundest 
in mercy, perfect remission and forgive- 
ness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

3- 

OMOST mighty God and merciful 
Father, who hast compassion upon 

39 



all men, and hatest nothing that thou hast 
made ; who wouldest not the death of a 
sinner, but that he should turn from his 
sin and be saved; mercifully forgive us 
our trespasses, relieve and comfort us who 
are grieved and wearied with the burden 
of our sins. Thy property is always to 
have mercy ; to thee only doth it apper- 
tain to forgive sins. Spare us, therefore, 
good Lord, whom thou hast redeemed. 
Enter not into judgment with thy servants, 
who are miserable sinners, but so turn 
thine anger from us, who meekly acknow- 
ledge our vileness, and truly repent us of 
our faults, that we may ever live with thee 
in the world to come, through Jesus Christ 
our Lord- Amen. 



MERCIFUL God, the Father of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, who is the resur- 
rection and the life, we beseech thee to 
raise us from the death of sin to the life of 
righteousness ; that at the general resur- 
rection, at the last day, we may be found 
acceptable in thy sight, and have our per- 
40 



feet consummation and bliss, both in body 
and soul, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 

5- 

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who 
art always more ready to hear than 
we to pray, and art wont to give more 
than either we desire or deserve, pour 
down upon us the abundance of thy mercy, 
forgiving us those things whereof our con- 
sciences are afraid, and giving us those 
good things which we are not worthy to 
receive but through the merits and medi- 
ation of Jesus Christ our Lord. 
6. 

WE humbly beseech thee, O Father, 
mercifully to look upon our infirm- 
ities, and for the glory of thy name turn 
from us all those evils which we have 
justly deserved ; and grant that, in all our 
troubles, we may put our whole trust in 
thy mercy, and evermore serve thee in 
holiness of life, to thy honor and glory, 
through our only Mediator and Advocate, 
Jesus Christ our Lord. 
41 



ALMIGHTY God, the fountain of all 
wisdom, who knowest our necessities 
before we ask, and our ignorance in ask- 
ing, we beseech thee to have compassion 
upon our infirmities, and those things 
which for our unworthiness we dare not, 
and for our blindness we cannot ask, 
vouchsafe to give us, for the merits of thy 
Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and 
the love of God, and the fellowship of the 
Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. 
Amen. 



42 



MxxzzHaxtzom -pratjra, 

A GENERAL PRAYER FOR THE SICK. 
BY REV. DR. BERRIAN. 

ALMIGHTY God and most merci- 
ful Father, whose never-failing provi- 
dence ordereth all things, both in heaven 
and in earth, we humble ourselves before 
thee with the deepest reverence, acknow- 
ledging that, even in thy severest dispen- 
sations, thou hast kind intentions and 
gracious designs towards us. Visit and 
behold this thy servant, upon whom thou 
hast laid thine afflicting hand. Sanctify, 
we beseech thee, thy fatherly correction to 
him, and grant that he may receive it with 
meekness, and bear it with patience. 
Suffer him not, O Lord, to murmur or re- 
pine either at the length or severity of his 
trials; but let all thy visitations be so 
blessed to him by the aids and comforts 
of thy Holy Spirit, as to be the means of 
weaning him from the world, of bringing 
him nearer to thyself, and of purifying his 
soul from all the dross and defilement 
43 



which it may have contracted in this sin- 
ful life. We know, O Father, that thou 
dost not willingly afflict and grieve the 
children of men, and that thou of thy good- 
ness hast caused thy servant to be troubled. 
O, grant him such a measure of thy grace 
as may enable him cheerfully to submit 
his will to thine ; and if, in the days of 
health and happiness, he hath at any time 
forgotten thee, and turned aside unto van- 
ity and folly, O merciful Father, let not 
his past faults provoke thee to turn away 
thy face from him, now that he flies unto 
thee in the time of his trouble. Shut not 
up thy tender mercies in displeasure, but 
for the merits and intercession of thy dear 
Son, pardon all his sins, and restore him 
to thy love and favor. O Lord, support 
him under all his pains and infirmities ; 
strengthen his faith, enliven his hopes, in- 
crease his charity, and perfect his repent- 
ance ; make thou his bed in his sickness, 
and lay not more upon him than thou wilt 
enable him to bear. Give thy blessing to 
the means that may be used for his recov- 
ery ; that if it be thy good pleasure to re- 
44 



store him to his former health, he may 
lead the residue of his life in thy fear, and 
to thy glory. But if thou hast otherwise 
determined, grant that the more the out- 
ward man decayeth, so much the more the 
inner man may be strengthened and re- 
newed by thy Holy Spirit ; and give him 
grace so to take thy visitation, that, after 
this painful life ended, he may dwell with 
thee in life everlasting, through the merits 
and mediation of our Lord and Savior 
Jesus Christ. Amen. 

ANOTHER GENERAL PRAYER FOR THE SICK. 

ALMIGHTY and most gracious Lord 
God, with whom are the appoint- 
ments of life and death, we humbly be- 
seech thee to give this thy sick servant 
grace to consider that his sickness is of 
thy sending, to cure his spiritual diseases, 
and to acknowledge the justice, as well as 
the mercy, of thy visitation in his suffer- 
ings. Let this trial of him, O Lord, not 
fail in answering the gracious purpose for 
which it was sent ; bring to his mind all 
such considerations as may raise him 
45 



above all discouragements and fear. Let 
his thoughts, under this visitation, be only 
those of love and thankfulness, resignation 
and obedience, humility and hope in thy 
mercy. Give him a full trust in thy most 
gracious promises of forgiveness, and 
enable him to bear this visitation with be- 
coming fortitude and resignation. 

Father of mercies and God of all com- 
fort, have pity and compassion upon him, 
we pray thee ; and out of pity to his weak- 
ness, lessen his troubles, and support him 
under them. Keep him ever submissive 
to thy will, and give him patience. Let 
thy blessing accompany all the means 
which may be used for his welfare and re- 
covery. Put an end in thy due time to 
his disease, and either restore him to 
health and ease, or else prepare him for a 
happy and comfortable death. All which 
we humbly ask for Jesus Christ's sake. 
Amen. 

FOR A SICK PERSON. 

ALMIGHTY and most merciful Fath- 
er, in whose hand our breath is, and 
whose are all our ways, we kneel down be- 
46 



fore thee humbly to supplicate thee in be- 
half of this person, here lying on the bed 
of pain and sickness. 

In submission to thy will, we humbly 
pray thee to restore him again to health. 
Thou only, O Lord, canst heal him. Be 
pleased, therefore, to rebuke his distem- 
per, and to bless the means which may be 
used for his recovery. Show thy power 
and thy glory in raising him from this bed 
of sickness, in prolonging his days, and in 
making him a monument of thy saving 
mercy in Christ Jesus. 

But, O merciful Father, however thou 
mayest see fit to deal with him in regard 
to his body, grant that this sickness may 
be sactified to the good of his soul. And 
may it be so sanctified as to work in him 
deep conviction of sin, unfeigned repent- 
ance towards thee, and steadfast faith in 
the Lord Jesus Christ. May it be the 
blessed means of producing in him all the 
virtues and graces of the Christian life, 
and so accomplish the end for which it 
was sent. Thus may it work for good in 
the issue, and give him cause to say, with 
47 



the Psalmist, " It is good for me that I 
have been afflicted." 

While this sickness continueth, be 
pleased to be with him in spirit, to com- 
fort and support him. Proportion thy 
grace to his necessities, and enable him 
to endure what thou lay est upon him. 
Endue his soul with patience under his 
affliction, and with resignation to thy 
blessed will. Pardon all his sins, comfort 
him with a sense of thy goodness, and 
give him peace. Whatever of good is fit- 
ting for us to ask, and for him to receive, 
we humbly pray thee to bestow upon him, 
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Whatever may be the issue of this sick- 
ness, O Lord, give him grace so to take 
the same, that, after this painful life ended, 
he may dwell with thee in life everlasting, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Sanctify this affliction to the good of 
this family [or all present]. May it tend 
to weaken their attachment to the world, 
and to elevate their thoughts and desires 
to heaven. Help them to set loose to the 
world and its enjoyments, to love and 



serve thee supremely, and at all times so 
carefully and watchfully to live, that sick- 
ness or death may not surprise them un- 
awares, or find them unprepared. Let 
thy Holy Spirit be ever with them, and 
lead them through this vale of sin in 
righteousness and holiness all their days, 
that finally they may attain the land of 
peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 

FOR ONE VERY SICK, AND IN MUCH PAIN. 

ALMIGHTY God, the Father of mer- 
cies and God of all comfort and con- 
solation, our only help in time of need, we 
now come before thee to supplicate thee in 
behalf of this thy sick servant. Gracious 
art thou, O Lord, and merciful, full of 
compassion, and of great goodness. Thou 
dost not willingly afflict or grieve the child- 
ren of men, but doest it only for their 
good. Wherefore we pray thee, heavenly 
Father, to sanctify this thy fatherly visita- 
tion to him ; may it awaken in his mind a 
lively sense of the shortness and uncer- 
tainty of life, and of the vast importance 
49 



of being prepared for the future world. 
Dispose him now to give all diligence to 
make his calling and election sure. Grant 
that his prayers for improvement by it may 
be as earnest and sincere as those for his 
delivery from it ; and, if consistent with thy 
gracious designs in regard to him, we 
humbly pray thee, heavenly Father, with- 
out whom the power of art and medicine 
are of no avail, to give thy blessing to the 
means that are used for his recovery. 
Spare him, good Lord, and restore him 
again to health ; and should his sufferings 
at any time increase, let the consolations 
of thy Spirit increase also. Vouchsafe 
unto him that ease and relief which his 
case requires, and which we cannot render. 
Deal very gently and tenderly with him, 
most merciful Father, and lay not more 
upon him than thou wilt enable him to 
bear ; and may he have grace to be per- 
fectly submissive at all times to thy most 
righteous will, in the confidence that thou 
doest all things well, and that thou lovest 
those whom thou afnictest. Pardon all 
his sins ; create in him a clean heart, and 
50 



renew a right spirit within him. Hear and 
answer all his prayers, and bestow upon 
him whatever in thy wisdom thou seest 
best for him ; all which we ask for Jesus 
Christ's sake. Amen. 

Grant unto us all, who are here present, 
a due improvement of this sickness. May 
it teach us justly to appreciate the bless- 
ing of health, and of bodily enjoyment, 
and the propriety of evidencing our grati- 
tude for the same, by living in accordance 
with thy blessed will. May the view of 
thy afflictive dispensations towards the 
children of men dispose us to moderate 
our desires in regard to this world, to keep 
our hearts with all diligence, and to run 
with patience the race which is set before 
us ; not expecting too much from any 
thing this world can offer us, but ever 
looking forward to the time when we must 
lie down upon the bed of sickness and 
death ; and endeavor so to order all our 
ways, that our last hours may be full of 
peace, and our final recompense an eter- 
nal weight of glory, through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. All which we ask, &c. 



FOR ONE VERY SICK, AND IN MUCH PAIN. 

LORD, thou hast taught us in thy word, 
that " if any are afflicted, they should 
pray." Agreeably to thy merciful will and 
direction, we now bow down before thee 
to present our earnest and affectionate 
prayers in behalf of this thy servant, whom 
thou hast laid upon the bed of affliction. 

We are not worthy, O Lord, to implore 
the smallest blessing at thy hand. We 
therefore come before thee in the name of 
Jesus, the Friend of sinners, and our Ad- 
vocate with thee ; for his sake, we beseech 
thee to grant the petitions we now ask of 
thee. 

Lord, look down from heaven, we be- 
seech thee, behold, visit, and relieve this 
thy sick servant. Thou knowest, Lord, 
that human strength is weakness, and that 
without thee we can do nothing. O, then, 
prosper and bless, we pray thee, the means 
which are used for alleviating and remov- 
ing his disorder; and, inasmuch as his 
pain and weakness are great, vouchsafe 
unto him that sensible ease and relief 



which his case requires, and which we 
cannot render. In all the pains of the 
body, in all the disquietudes of the mind, 
do thou, O Lord, comfort and support 
him. Make him to taste and feel that 
thou art gracious, and that thou hast power 
to comfort those who are cast down. Be 
very merciful to him, O Lord, and either 
lighten his affliction, or give him grace to 
bear it. And now, while in the furnace 
of affliction, do thou, O Lord, purify him 
from every impurity. May it be the means 
of purifying his affections, of strengthen- 
ing his faith and trust, of confirming his 
hope, and of making him meet for thy 
heavenly kingdom. Bless it, we pray thee, 
to the thorough preparation of his soul for 
thy presence hereafter. 

And seeing, O God, that he trusts en- 
tirely to the merits of his Savior for par- 
don and salvation, we beseech thee to 
grant unto him free and full forgiveness of 
all his sins ; and not only so, but to make 
him know and feel that thou has forgiven 
him, that thou art perfectly at peace 
with him, and that thou wilt finally re- 
53 



ceive him into thy heavenly habitations. 
Increase his faith and hope, and fill him 
with all joy and peace in believing. 

To thy merciful providence we now 
commend him, in humble confidence that 
thou wilt order all things right and well in 
regard to him. Fit and prepare him, we 
pray thee, for whatever in thy wisdom 
thou mayest see fit to lay upon him ; and 
if it be thy will that his health be restored, 
may his love to thee increase, and may 
the remainder of his days be spent in thy 
service and to thy glory. Or if it be thy 
pleasure that his days here shall not be 
prolonged, give him grace so to take thy 
visitation, that after this painful life ended 
he may dwell with thee in life everlasting, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

FOR A VERY SICK PERSON. 

OLORD, thou hast taught us in thy 
word " that vain is the help of man;" 
and vain, alas ! do we find it to be, in re- 
gard to anything we can do towards allevi- 
ating or removing the disorder of this thy 
afflicted servant. Without thy aid and 
54 



blessing, our best efforts are of no avail. 

We rejoice, however, to know that in 
thee we have a friend who is both able 
and willing to help \ and not only so, but 
who has actually promised to do abun- 
dantly, above all we can ask or think. 
Yea, we rejoice that we have a compas- 
sionate and merciful Savior; one who is 
"touched with a feeling of our infirmities, 
and who is ever ready to succor them that 
are afflicted." 

Wherefore unto thee, O Lord, do we 
now come, humbly and earnestly to sup- 
plicate thy aid in behalf of this our sick 
friend. Be gracious unto him, O Lord ; 
be gracious unto him, and vouchsafe unto 
him that ease and relief which his case re- 
quires, and which none of us are able to 
give. Now that his sufferings abound, let 
thy consolations abound also. Be very 
merciful to him, O Lord, seeing he trust- 
eth in thee, and in thy gracious promises. 
Thy presence, Lord, can make even this 
bed of pain comfortable. O, then, visit 
him, we beseech thee, with the strength- 
ening and consoling influences of thy 
55 



Spirit, and make all his bed in his sickness. 
Cheer him, O Lord, with the light of thy 
countenance. Comfort him with a sense 
of thy goodness : yea, cause him to rejoice 
and glory in his sufferings, and with the 
apostle to say, "As the sufferings of Christ 
abound in me, so also do his consolations ;" 
" When I am weak, then am I strong." In 
all the pains of his body, in all the weak- 
ness of his mind, do thou, O Lord, com- 
fort and support him. 

We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. 

Graciously hear us, O Christ ; gracious- 
ly hear us, O Lord Christ. 

O God, merciful Father, whose ears are 
ever open to the prayers of the needy and 
the sorrowful, mercifully accept the sup- 
plications which we now offer unto thee in 
behalf of this thy afflicted servant, and 
vouchsafe unto him whatever in thy wis- 
dom thou mayest see needful for him. We 
believe that thou knowest what is best for 
him and his friends, and that thou wilt do 
what is best for both. Help us, therefore, 
to be patient and resigned under this dis- 
pensation, and from our hearts to say, 
56 



" Father, not our will, but thine be done." 
To thy merciful care and keeping we 
now commend him. If it please thee, de- 
liver him in thy good appointed time from 
his bodily pains, and visit him with thy sal- 
vation, that, his days upon earth being 
prolonged, he may live to thee, and be an 
instrument to thy glory, by serving thee 
faithfully, and by doing good in his gener- 
ation ; or else receive him in those hea- 
venly habitations where the souls of those 
who sleep in Jesus enjoy perpetual rest 
and felicity — even in that blessed place 
where the inhabitants shall no more say, 
"I am sick;" where "there is no more 
sorrow, nor sighing ; and where tears are 
wiped away from all faces." Grant these 
petitions, O Father, for Jesus Christ's sake. 
Amen. 



FOR ONE, THAT HIS SICKNESS MAY BE SANC- 
TIFIED TO HIS GOOD. 

ALMIGHTY and most merciful God, 
the aid of all who need, and the help- 
er of all who flee unto thee for succor, look 
down from heaven, we humbly beseech 

57 



thee; behold, visit, and relieve this thy 
sick servant, in whose behalf we would 
now pray. 

In thy wisdom, O Lord, thou has seen 
fit to visit him with sickness, and to bring 
distress upon him. Righteous art thou in 
all thy dealings, and true and just in all thy 
ways. Thou never affiictest but for our 
good, and much less than our sins deserve. 
We pray thee, therefore, that thou wilt 
sanctify this sickness to the good of this 
person, and that it may redound to his 
spiritual and eternal benefit. May it 
serve to detach his affections from this 
world, and to fasten them on a better. 
May it work in him, too, a deep convic- 
tion of sin, unfeigned repentance towards 
thee, and a saving faith in the Lord Jesus. 
O Lord, while now in the furnace of af- 
fliction, be pleased so to purify him that 
he may come forth from the same, free 
from the dross of sin and impurity. 
Fit him, O Lord, for living or dying, 
that it may be unto him " Christ to 
live, and gain to die." Thus may this 
sickness prove to him a blessing in dis- 
58 



guise, and so may he see that thou of very 
faithfulness hast caused him to be in 
trouble. 

Heavenly Father, we humbly ask thy 
blessing upon the means used for his re- 
covery, Have compassion upon him, O 
Lord, and restore him again to health, that 
he may have a longer opportunity to im- 
prove himself in piety and virtue, and to 
prepare himself for thy heavenly kingdom. 
Freely and fully forgive him all his past 
sins, for Christ's sake. Be with him while 
on this bed of pain and sickness, to com- 
fort and support him. Enable him to ex- 
ercise patience and resignation to thy 
blessed will. Preserve him from the 
temptation of the enemy, and from every 
evil. Help him to exercise an unbounded 
trust in thy goodness and mercy, in the 
confidence that thou doest all things well, 
and that thou lovest those whom thou af- 
flictest. These things, and whatever else 
thou mayest see good for him, we humbly 
pray thee to bestow upon him, for Christ's 
sake. Amen. 

And grant, O Lord, that each and all of 
59 



us, in our best estate of health, may seri- 
ously consider, and continually remember, 
how frail and uncertain our condition is. 
May none of us boast ourselves of to- 
morrow, nor forget our dependence upon 
thee, but give all diligence to make our 
calling and election sure. Raise us all, 
we pray thee, from the death of sin to the 
life of righteousness, that when we depart 
this life, we may be received by thee in 
thy eternal kingdom, for the sake of Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 

FOR RECOVERY, AND FOR SPIRITUAL CON- 
SOLATION AND BENEFIT. 

MOST merciful Father, look graciously, 
we pray thee, upon this person, 
whom, in thy wisdom, thou hast seen fit 
to visit with sickness, and give thy bless- 
ing to the means which are used for his re- 
covery. In submission to thy will, we beg 
this mercy at thy hands. Thou only, O 
Lord, canst heal him. Spare him, there- 
fore, good Lord, and restore him again to 
health. His life is in thy hands ; may it 
be precious in thy sight. Comfort our 
60 



hearts, we pray thee, by granting him a 
longer continuance amongst us. 

Lord, he is sensible that he has no power 
to help himself; all his trust is in thee, and 
in thy promises. Vouchsafe unto him, 
therefore, such help, both for his soul and 
body, as thou seest fitting for him. Sup- 
port him by thy grace under all his pains, 
and suffer him not at any time to sink 
under the weight of them. Make him 
ready and willing to yield to thy wisdom, 
to prefer thy will to his own, to be con- 
tented to bear what thou pleasest, and to 
be eased of his burden when thou seest 
fit. May he be perfectly submissive to 
thy holy will ; and may this affliction of 
his body be so sanctified to his good, as to 
work for him a far more exceeding and 
eternal weight of glory. May it be the 
means of bringing him nearer to thyself, 
and of qualifying him for the enjoyment of 
those pleasures which thou hast in reserve 
for the righteous hereafter. 

And, O God, should it be thy will that 
this sickness result in death, may it please 
thee to fit and prepare him for that solemn 
61 



event. Grant unto him unfeigned re- 
pentance for all his sins, and an assured 
interest in the blood of Christ. May he 
have a well-grounded hope and a lively 
faith j and may he be a meet partaker of 
the inheritance of the saints in light. 

And let it be the anxious concern of us 
all, O God, to serve and please thee. 
Give us grace to live as those who are born 
to die, and whose spirits must soon depart 
into the eternal world. Grant that the 
shortness of life may continually remind 
us of its importance, and the uncertainty 
of its continuance make us ever ready and 
prepared for its end. 

Look graciously, O Lord, upon this 
afflicted family. Sanctify this affliction to 
them, and while it continueth, enable them 
to bear it with calmness and patience, in 
the confidence that thou doest all things 
well, and that thou wilt overrule all for 
good in regard to them. Hear and accept 
their prayers, and bestow upon them every 
spiritual and temporal good thing, for the 
sake of our common Savior and Redeemer. 
Amen. 

62 



FOR A SICK PERSON A GENERAL PRAYER. 

OGOD, whose never-failing providence 
ordereth all things in heaven and in 
earth, look with pity, we beseech thee, 
upon this thy servant, upon whom thou 
hast laid thine afflicting hand. Sanctify 
thy fatherly correction to him, and enable 
him to bear it with patience and resigna- 
tion. May it be the means of weaning 
him from the world, of bringing him nearer 
to thyself, and of purging away the dross 
and defilement which his soul has con- 
tracted in this sinful world. Pardon, we 
pray thee, all his sins, strengthen his faith, 
confirm his hope, increase his charity, and 
perfect his repentance. Give thy blessing 
to the means used for his recovery, and in 
thy good time restore him to his former 
health, that he may lead the residue of his 
life in thy fear, and to thy glory. And in 
the meanwhile, may he so diligently im- 
prove this visitation, as that, shouldst thou 
see fit to spare him, he may be an example 
of one who has profited by the same, and 
henceforth serve thee in righteousness and 
63 



holiness all the days of his life, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. 

We commend to thy fatherly care and 
protection all the sick and afflicted. Give 
them grace as they may severally stand in 
need, and order all things for their present 
and eternal good. May they receive thy 
chastisement as the loving correction of a 
kind and merciful Father, who dost chasten 
them only for their profit, and that they 
may be partakers of thy holiness here, and 
of thy felicity hereafter. All which we 
ask, &c. 

FOR A SICK PERSON. 

MERCIFUL God and heavenly Fa. 
ther, who givest us life, and health, and 
all things, and recallest them according to 
thy good pleasure, grant that we may ac- 
knowledge thy hand in everything that 
befalleth us ; and in all the afflictive dis- 
pensations of thy providence, may we 
strive to improve them to thy glory and 
our own salvation. Sanctify, we pray thee, 
this present visitation to this thy servant. 
May it tend to weaken his attachments to 
64 



earth, and to elevate them to heaven. 
May it awaken in his mind a lively sense 
of the shortness and uncertainty of this 
life, and of the vast importance of being 
prepared for a future state. Dispose him 
to give all diligence to make his calling 
and election sure. May he pray earnestly 
to thee for the pardon of his sins, and for 
an assured interest in the blood of Christ. 
And, O Lord^regard not his unworthiness, 
nor refuse to hear him when he calleth 
upon thee ; but accept of his repentance, 
blot out all his misdeeds, and refresh him 
with the grace and comfort of thy Holy 
Spirit. Support him in the weakness of 
his body, guard him in the temptations 
which assault the soul, administer his sor- 
rows with tenderness, and turn them all 
to his good and comfort in the end. Lay 
not more upon him than thou wilt enable 
him to bear. Consider his weakness, and 
proportion his trials to his strength, that 
he may endure them with patience and 
resignation to thy blessed will. And since 
thou alone, O thou Great Physician of our 
souls, canst effectually remove his mala- 
6^ 



dies, be pleased, we beseech thee, so to 
bless the means which may be used for 
his recovery, that he may perceive and 
feel the blessing in the relief of his pain, 
and the restoration of his health; and 
may he have grace to pass the residue of 
his days in thy fear and love, and to thy 
praise and glory, and thus show forth his 
gratitude for this and all the other in- 
stances of thy love and mercy to him. All 
which we ask, &c. 

A PENITENTIAL PRAYER. 

ALMIGHTY God, the Author of 
eternal salvation, and the blessed 
Redeemer of the world, who -art ever 
ready to hear the voice of prayer, and 
more willing to give than we to ask, we 
pray thee in mercy to regard this thy serv- 
ant, in penitence for his sins. Through 
the merits of the atoning blood of thy Son, 
our Mediator, forgive him all the errors 
and follies of his youth ; remember not his 
wanderings in the forbidden paths of 
wickedness, and treasure not to him in 
judgment thy merited wrath for his of- 
66 



fences against thy holy laws ; but be very 
merciful to him, we pray thee, and by the 
comforting influences of thy Holy Spirit, 
remove the fears of a troubled conscience 
from his mind. Spare him, good Lord, O 
spare him from the bitter pangs of re- 
morse, and of distracting doubts that 
overwhelm the soul with despair. And 
grant that the door of thy mercy may not 
be closed against him forever ; but may it 
now be opened, and may the peaceful 
Messenger of divine love be commissioned 
to dispel his fears, and to diffuse a holy 
peace and serenity over his mind. 

Hear us, O Lord, we pray thee, and 
visit him with the favor which thou bearest 
to thy people, that being made a partaker of 
thy mercies, he may rejoice in thee as the 
God of his salvation, and be refreshed 
with the tokens of thy reconciled love and 
favor. And may it please thee to bless 
with success the means used for his re- 
covery, that he may be speedily restored 
to health, that his days may be many and 
useful in the world, devoted to thy service, 
and to thy honor and glory. But if, in 
67 



thy wisdom, thou hast otherwise deter- 
mined, O, endue him abundantly, we pray 
thee, with the sustaining influences of thy 
Holy Spirit, that he may regard death 
without dread, and be sweetly resigned to 
thy blessed will ; comfort his mind with a 
sense of thy fatherly love and goodness, 
preserve him from his spiritual enemies, 
mitigate and relieve his sufferings, and 
finally receive him to thyself in the abodes 
of peace and blessedness, for the sake of 
thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. 
Amen. 

FOR AN IMPENITENT PERSON. 

ALMIGHTY God, grant, we pray thee, 
that this person, whose sickness now 
reminds him of the certainty of death, 
may have such a sense of his situation as 
a sinner, that he may be truly concerned 
about the saving of'his soul. Make him 
to consider the cause of his affliction, and 
the end to be answered by it. Grant that 
this sickness may be the means of 
awakening him to repentance, of purify- 
ing his heart, and leading him to Christ, 
68 



the only Redeemer of sinners. Let him 
reflect with horror on the certain destruc- 
tion which he would have brought upon 
himself, had he been called out of life in 
the midst of his sins ; grant that he may 
now diligently avail himself of his present 
opportunity to amend his life, and to se- 
cure the salvation of his soul. Let the 
zeal of his future piety be proportioned to 
his past sin and folly, and let the remem- 
brance of his ingratitude and disobedience 
make him humble, diligent and persevering 
in improvement. ' O God, let him not de- 
part out of this world till his peace with 
thee be secured. Pardon, we pray thee, 
all his past sins, for Christ's sake. Create 
in him a clean heart, and renew a right 
spirit within him. Work in him, and do 
for him, whatever thou seest necessary 
for his present and eternal good; and 
whenever he leaves this world, may he be 
a fit partaker of the inheritance of the 
saints in light, through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. Amen. 



6 9 



FOR ONE IN A BAD STATE. 

OMOST holy and righteous Lord God, 
who cannot look upon iniquity, we 
bow down before thee in the name of 
Jesus, the friend of sinners, and for his 
sake implore thy mercy in behalf of this 
person, who has so much despised and 
neglected thee and thy service, and whose 
life has been spent in sin and folly. O 
God, impress on him the deepest sorrow 
and contrition for all his sins. Grant unto 
him a deep and unfeigned repentance, 
and also a strong and lively sense of thy 
astonishing mercy in having hitherto de- 
layed his punishment. 

May he now give all diligence to secure 
the salvation of his soul. O, let him not 
give sleep to his eyes, nor slumber to his 
eyelids, till he has obtained pardon and 
peace. And may the remainder of his 
life be spent in thy fear and service ; and 
as there is no promise of acceptance 
without an actual amendment, so let him 
remember that no amendment now can 
compensate for the wickedness of his past 
70 



life, and that his trust must be in thy un- 
deserved mercy, through Christ his only 
refuge. For his sake, we pray thee, O 
God, to spare him, and to grant unto him 
repentance unto salvation. For the all- 
sufficient merits of thy Son, reject him 
not, O God, nor shut thine ears to our 
prayers in his behalf, but pardon all his 
sins, and make him a monument of thy 
saving mercy in Christ Jesus. Amen. 

FOR AN IMPENITENT SINNER. 

LORD, we kneel down before thee to 
supplicate thee in behalf of this per- 
son, here lying on the bed of sickness. For 
Jesus' sake, we pray thee to accept the 
petitions that we now ask for him. 

May this sickness, O Lord, be the 
means of reclaiming him from sin, and of 
producing in him repentance unto salva- 
tion. Let thy Holy Spirit descend upon 
him, and so melt the hardness of his heart 
as may make him sorrowfully concerned 
that he should ever have offended thee, 
the God of all goodness, and the source of 
every blessing. Make him thankful that 
71 



he has not been taken away in the midst 
of sin and folly. Make him thankful 
that his sickness does not affect his un- 
derstanding, but that he still enjoys the 
use of his reason and his senses. And, O 
God, dispose him to give all diligence to 
secure the salvation of his soul, and for 
this purpose to use all the means of grace 
which thou hast appointed. Dispose him 
to pray heartily to thee fur pardon and 
forgiveness, and for a saving interest in the 
atoning blood of the Savior. And, O 
Lord, be very gracious unto him, and 
grant unto him a free and full remission of 
all his sins. O, reserve them not to be 
punished in the day of thy fierce anger ; 
but spare him, O Lord God most holy, O 
Lord most mighty, O holy and most mer- 
ciful Savior, thou most worthy Judge 
Eternal, deliver him, we beseech thee, 
from the bitter pains of eternal death. 
Thy property, Lord, is always to have 
mercy ; spare him, therefore, good Lord ; 
spare this person whom thou hast re- 
deemed with thy precious blood, and be 
not angry with him forever. 
72 



We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord. 

Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us. 

O Lamb of God, who taketh away the 
sins of the world, have mercy upon him. 

Graciously hear us, O Christ. 

Graciously hear us, O Lord Christ. 

O God, merciful Father, who hath 
promised to hear the petitions of those 
who ask in thy Son's name, mercifully ac- 
cept the prayers which we have now of- 
fered in behalf of this person, and for the 
glory of thy name turn from him all the 
evils he doth most justly deserve, and give 
him grace so to improve this visitation, 
that should his days upon earth be pro- 
longed, he may live to thee, and be an 
instrument of good in his generation ; or 
in the event of his departure hence, that 
his soul may be received by thee in life 
everlasting, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 

FOR ONE WHO IS PENITENT. 

OMOST merciful Father, who art al- 
ways more ready to hear than we to 
pray, and to give more than we can desire 

73 



or deserve, we beseech thee to look in 
mercy upon this thy servant, who earnest- 
ly desires the pardon of his sins, and a 
saving interest in thy covenanted mercies 
in Christ Jesus. 

We know, O Lord, that thou art a mer- 
ciful God ; full of compassion, long suffer- 
ing, and of great pity ; forgiving iniquity, 
transgression, and sin ; and that thine 
arms of mercy are ever open to receive the 
contrite and penitent offender. For thy 
tender mercies' sake, therefore, O Lord, 
and for thy dear Son's sake, who came 
into the world to seek and to save such as 
were weary and heavy laden with the bur- 
den of their sins, and who hast graciously 
assured us that " those who come unto 
thee shall in no wise be cast out," we pray 
thee freely to forgive him all his sins, and 
to bestow upon him a saving interest in the 
blood of Jesus. 

Hear us, most merciful Father, in these 
our petitions for this thy servant, who 
earnestly desires pardon and forgiveness. 
Graciously receive him, as the offended 
father received the offending prodigal. 
74 



Receive him graciously into thy bosom, 
and gladden his heart with the tokens of 
thy reconciled love and favor. For the 
glory of thy name pardon all his misdeeds, 
and turn from him all those evils that he 
has most justly deserved. And grant, 
Lord, that he may continue to cherish his 
present feelings of indignation against sin, 
and to resolve, by thy grace, ever man- 
fully to fight against it, and to approve 
himself thy faithful servant. And help 
him to trust, not in himself alone, but in 
thee, for the performance of his vows and 
resolutions. What he knoweth not, teach 
him, and what he knoweth, enable him to 
practice. And give him grace cheerfully 
to acquiesce in thy will, in regard to 
whatever may be the character of this, or 
any of thy future dispensations towards 
him ; that if it should be thy good pleasure 
that he should live to be tried, he may 
prove himself thy faithful servant ; or, if 
his sickness should result in death, he may 
calmly resign himself to thy will ; that so, 
living or dying, he may be thine, through 
Jesus Christ or Lord. Amen. 
75 



ANOTHER PRAYER FOR ONE WHO IS PENI- 
TENT. 

OLORD, who in mercy hast granted to 
this thy servant a due sense of his 
transgressions, we beseech thee to increase 
the influences of thy Spirit, confirm his 
indignation against sin, and heighten his 
sorrowful remembrance of his former in- 
iqities into the most earnest resolutions 
against a repetition of them in future. 
Let him distinguish between infirmity of 
body and contrition of soul, that he may 
not mistake his present freedom from 
temptation for a sign of his piety, but may 
he steadfastly resolve to prefer his duty 
before all allurements, if tried by them 
again. Affect him with a deep sense of 
the importance of thy favor, and of the 
vanity of this world ; that he may devote 
himself wholly to thy service, and be pre- 
pared for all future temptations, should he 
be again assaulted. And do thou, O God, 
help him to withstand the temptations of 
the world, the flesh, and the devil, and 
with a pure heart and mind to serve thee. 
Let thy Holy Spirit be with him, to direct 
76 



and guide him in all his ways. Bless to 
his good all the means of grace, and grant 
that he may so profit by the same as to be 
made wise unto salvation. May he de- 
vote himself wholly to thy service, and 
have grace so faithfully to serve thee dur- 
ing the remainder of his days, as that 
finally he may be admitted into thine eter- 
nal and glorious kingdom, there to live 
with thee in life everlasting, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. 

FOR FORGIVENESS. 

MOST gracious God, who hast taught 
us to apply to thee in time of need, 
and hast promised mercy and forgiveness 
to those who earnestly pray for it in the 
name of thy dear Son, regard our suppli- 
cations for this thy servant, who desires to 
obtain it through the merits of thy Son 
Jesus Christ. He is sensible that he is al- 
together unworthy of thy forgiveness, and 
that nothing but thine unbounded good- 
ness could encourage him to apply for it. 
But without thy mercy he must perish ; 
and thou hast graciously declared that thou 
77 



wouldest not the death of a sinner. Ac- 
cept, therefore, his humble petitions for 
mercy, and in him may Christ Jesus show 
forth all long-suffering and compassion. 
He knows that his life cannot bear a strict 
examination ; for if thou shouldest be ex- 
treme to mark what has been done amiss, 
O Lord, who may abide it ? Accept him 
according to the gracious covenant of thy 
mercy in thy Son Jesus Christ. Prepare 
him by sincere resolutions of obedience to 
apply to thee in prayer; strengthen him 
by a comfortable trust in thy mercy to 
proceed uniformly in the way of holiness ; 
favor him with a longer time to testify his 
sincerity by a holy life ; and whenever 
thou shalt be pleased to take him hence, 
receive him into thy mercy, through the 
merits and intercession of thy Son Jesus 
Christ our Lord. 

. FOR ONE MUCH DEJECTED IN MIND. 

OMOST merciful Father, who knowest 
our frame, and rememberest that we 
are but dust, look with pity, we pray thee, 
upon the sorrows of this thy servant, whose 

78 



soul is cast down within him. Banish 
from his mind all needless fears, and de- 
liver him from his present sadness and de- 
jection of spirit. Mercifully forgive him 
all his sins, and gladden his heart with the 
tokens of thy love and favor. He confes- 
seth, O Lord, that he hath sinned against 
thee j that he hath done those things which 
he ought not to have done, and hath left 
undone those things which he ought to 
have done. He is sensible, too, that he 
has no merits of his own to plead, and he 
trusts entirely to the merits of his Savior 
for pardon and forgiveness. For Christ's 
sake, therefore, we pray thee to forgive 
him all his sins. By his death and passion, 
by his resurrection and ascension, we en- 
treat thee to be thus merciful to him. O 
thou Sun of Righteousness, arise, shine, 
and dissipate the clouds of darkness that 
rest upon his mind, and diffuse the rays of 
joy and comfort through the inner man. 
Make him glad with the light of thy coun- 
tenance, and revive his spirit within him. 
Make him taste and feel that thou art 
gracious, and that thou hast power to com- 
79 



fort those who are cast down. Endue his 
soul with patience under his troubles, and 
with resignation to thy blessed will ; com- 
fort him with a sense of thy goodness ; lift 
upon him the light of thy countenance, 
and give him peace. 

O God, who despisest not the sighing of 
a contrite heart, nor the desires of such as 
are sorrowful, mercifully assist the prayers 
we have now made in this time of trouble 
and adversity, and grant unto this thy 
servant the comfort he now requires ; and 
may we and all have grace evermore to serve 
thee in pureness and holiness of living, to 
thy honor and glory, through our only 
Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ our 
Lord. 

FOR A SICK PERSON, TROUBLED WITH 
DOUBTS AND DIFFICULTIES. 

OGOD, who art the only Comforter of 
the sorrowful and afflicted, we earn- 
estly entreat thee to impart the consola- 
tions of thy grace to this thy afflicted serv- 
ant. Regard with pity, we pray thee, his 
infirmities, and compose his mind with the 



soothing influence of thy Holy Spirit. O, 
let thy grace so enlighten his understand- 
ing that he may discern the wonders of 
thy redeeming love, and rejoice in the 
knowledge of thy boundless goodness and 
mercy. Grant unto him, we pray thee, 
entire confidence in thy willingness to bless 
and comfort those " who are weary and 
heavy laden with the burden of their sins," 
and whose hearts are truly humble and 
contrite in thy sight. Enable him effectu- 
ally to repent of all his past transgressions, 
and diligently to avail himself of all the 
prescribed means of grace and salvation. 
And do thou, O God, so assist him with 
thy spirit, and so increase his confidence 
in the merits and efficacy of his Redeem- 
er's blood, that he may obtain a well- 
grounded hope of acceptance with thee, 
and be blessed with the manifestations of 
thy reconciled love and favor. 

We thank thee, O Lord, that thou hast 
awakened his mind to a sense of the im- 
portance of being prepared for eternity. 
Affect him with a still deeper conviction, 
we pray thee, of the solemn realities re- 



vealed in thy word, and of the danger of 
procrastinating the work of amendment 
and of preparation for the eternal world. 
And now that all things else fail him, and 
that he has a feeling and experimental 
sense of the frailty of his nature, and of 
the uncertainty of human life, may he be 
disposed to cling more earnestly to the 
promise of thy word, and to yield a more 
unreserved compliance with its require- 
ments. And grant, O Lord, that every 
darkling cloud of unbelief may be dis- 
pelled from his mind, and that henceforth 
he may be able to serve thee without fear, 
and with that peace which cometh only of 
thee, and which passeth all understand- 
ing. 

We pray thee, heavenly Father, to re- 
store him speedily to health, with a deep 
sense of thy mercy to him, and a firm de- 
termination to devote himself wholly to 
thy service, and to strive to please thee all 
his days. But if thou hast otherwise de- 
termined, O, prepare him for his depart- 
ure ; be with him in his passage through 
the dark valley of death, and let thy holy 
82 



angels convey his soul to the bosom of 
his Savior, there to live with him in the 
fruition of never-ending happiness. We 
ask all, &c. 

FOR A PERSON IN DESPONDENCY. 

OLORD, our heavenly Father, who art 
the sure and efficient help of all who 
call upon thee in trouble, be pleased to 
hear and accept our prayers for this per- 
son, who is oppressed with gloom on ac- 
count of his sins. Have mercy upon him, 
O Lord, have mercy upon him, and cheer 
and enliven his heart with the consola- 
tions of thy Holy Spirit. O, let him not 
distrust thy mercy and goodness, nor dis- 
believe thy promises ; but, notwithstand- 
ing the deep sense of his unworthiness, 
may he confidently and earnestly call upon 
thee, who art the Savior of sinners, and 
not exclude himself from the hope of par- 
don and reconciliation. Graciously vouch- 
safe unto him, O Lord, a saving faith in 
the blood of Jesus ; and comfort his heart 
with the assurance " that his blood cleans- 
eth from all sin," and " that whosoever 
83 



cometh unto him believing, shall in no 
wise be cast out." O, let him be no longer 
faithless, but dispose and assist him, O 
God, by the grace of thy Spirit, to bring 
the burden of his sins at once to the foot 
of the cross, and to cast himself in faith 
on the mercy of his Redeemer ; and by 
the blessed influence of thy Spirit upon his 
heart, may he feel " that his sins, though 
many, are forgiven him." What he know- 
eth not, O Lord, teach him, and what he 
knoweth, enable him to practice. Let 
him not neglect any means of grace, as 
though they were no further useful, but 
keep in the observance of every duty en- 
joined by the word. And should he fail 
of that speedy relief for which his soul is 
distressed, O, may he not grieve thy Holy 
Spirit away, by yielding to despondency 
and gloom, but may he be encouraged 
by thy gracious promises to persevere; 
and do thou, O God, in thine own ap- 
pointed time, cause him to rejoice in 
his deliverance from trouble, and to tr:-. 
umph in the possession of a good hope of 
being received into glory hereafter. 
84 



To thy mercy and grace we now com- 
mend him. Pardon, we pray thee, all his 
sins, and bestow upon him whatever in 
thy wisdom thou knowest to be best for 
him. Preserve and keep him in health ; 
may his days be many and useful in his 
generation, and when he is summoned 
to depart hence, may his spirit be received 
by thee in that happy, peaceful place, 
where the weary are at rest, — and where 
sin and sorrow are unknown. For Christ's 
sake we ask all. 



FOR A SICK PERSON OF WEAK FAITH. 

OTHOU, who art the Author and 
Finisher of our faith, and the God 
of all comfort and consolation, we come 
unto thee as our only refuge in trouble, 
humbly, but earnestly, to implore thy aid 
and thy blessing in behalf of this thy ser- 
vant, in distress. In thy wisdom thou 
hast seen fit to visit him with sorrow and 
sickness. O, be gracious unto him, we 
pray thee, and vouchsafe all that he may 
require, both for his soul and body. Thou 
knowest, O Lord, all his wants, the weak- 
85 



ness of his faith, and the errors of his un- 
derstanding, as also his bodily disorders. 
O, be pleased to proportion thy grace to 
his necessities, and to supply all his need. 
Graciously bestow upon him the enlight- 
ening and enlivening influences of thy 
Holy Spirit, dissipate the darkness that 
beclouds his mind, and strengthen his 
faith in the promises of thy Word. For 
the sake of thy Son our Redeemer, hear 
and answer all his prayers, pardon his sins, 
endue his soul with patience under his 
affliction, and with resignation to thy 
blessed will, and enable him to realize thy 
love and thy grace in his heart, and to re- 
joice in the hope of thy salvation. And 
may it please thee, O Lord, to speedily 
restore him to health and all the blessings 
of life. But, above all, we entreat thee to 
prepare him to meet thee in peace, to 
cordially welcome death as the messenger 
of relief and joy to his waiting spirit, and 
as his deliverer from every bodily and 
mental ill. Help him to look upon the 
grave as the gate of immortality, and the 
introduction to that holy, happy, and un- 



changeable state, where in thy presence is 
fullness of joy, and where there are 
pleasures forevermore. For Jesus Christ's 
sake, we pray thee to grant all these peti- 
tions. 

FOR A SICK PERSON WHO DESIRETH PAR- 
DON. 

OMOST merciful Father, who hast 
promised to grant the petitions of 
those who ask in thy Son's name, we now 
kneel down humbly to supplicate thee in 
behalf of this person, who earnestly de- 
sireth pardon and forgiveness of all his 
sins. He confesseth, O Lord, that he hath 
sinned against thee, that he hath done 
those things which he ought not to have 
done, and left undone those things which 
he ought to have done. He is sensible, 
too, that he has no merits of his own to 
plead, and he trusts entirely to the merits 
of his Savior for pardon and salvation. 
For Christ's sake, therefore, most merci- 
ful Father, we pray thee to forgive him all 
his sins. Wash them all away in that 
fountain which thou hast opened for sin 
87 



and uncleanness. Spare him, good Lord, 
spare thy servant whom thou hast re- 
deemed with the precious blood of thy 
dear Son. For Christ's sake, we beseech 
thee to be thus merciful to him. By his 
death and passion, by his resurrection and 
ascension, we entreat forgiveness at thy 
hands. Grant unto him also that humble 
and contrite heart which thou lovest, and 
whose prayers and sighs thou wilt not de- 
spise. O, visit him with thy salvation, 
support him by thy grace, and work in 
him, and do for him, whatever in thy wis- 
dom thou seest proper for his present and 
eternal good, that so this light affliction of 
a moment may work for him a far more 
exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 

Lord, grant unto him, we pray thee, the 
comfort of a holy hope that thou hast ac- 
cepted his repentance and heard his 
prayers. And resting all his hopes on the 
cross of Christ, may he be filled with holy 
peace and joy. Be with him, O Lord, at 
all times, and let nothing disturb or ter- 
rify his soul. May his mind be calm and 
peaceful, his faith strong, and his conn- 



dence at all times be steadfastly reposed 
on thee, who art the anchor of his safety. 
And whatever may be the issue of this 
sickness, grant that he may so improve the 
same, that after this painful life ended, he 
may dwell with thee in life everlasting, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

We pray thee, O Lord, to behold with 
thy favor and blessing all the sick and 
afflicted, and to support them with such 
temporal and spiritual comforts as they 
stand in need of. Grant them repent- 
ance towards thee, and faith towards the 
Lord Jesus Christ, that their sins may be 
done away in thy mercy, and their par- 
don sealed in heaven before they depart 
hence to the eternal world. May they 
not despise thy chastening, nor faint un- 
der thy rebukes, but endeavor to improve 
the same to the salvation of their souls. 
And do thou bring us all, at last, to that 
place where there is no more sickness or 
sorrow, and where tears are wiped away 
from all faces. Amen. 



3 9 



FOR A SICK PERSON, WHO IS IN GREAT 
WANT OF SLEEP. 

MOST gracious God, we kneel down 
before thee, and humbly pray thee 
to look with tender concern on this 
thy afflicted servant, whose case we would 
bear on our hearts at thy mercy-seat. Re- 
new his wasted spirits, we pray thee, with 
comfortable sleep. Compose him to a 
sweet and undisturbed rest. Refresh him 
so sensibly as to enable him affectionately 
to acknowledge thy goodness to him in 
this respect. O, may he enjoy the com- 
fort of rest, and of refreshing sleep. 

But, O God, if thou see fit to deny or 
delay the blessing, give him patience, and 
grant that in the multitude of his thoughts 
within him, thy comforts may refresh his 
soul. If he still be tossed on a wearisome 
bed, may his mind repose itself in thy 
love, and be blessed with the comfortable 
consolations of thy Holy Spirit. 

And prosper, we pray thee, the means 
used for his recovery. We know that the 
wishes of friends avail not, nor the power 
90 



of nature or art, without thy concurring 
blessing. Bless then, we pray thee, every 
application for his recovery. Let thine, 
O Lord, be the glory, and his the comfort 
of the means used for the same. 

Support him also under his pains, and 
deliver him speedily from them, and in 
such a way as may best promote thy glory 
and his present and future welfare. Con- 
tinue him in this life with a due sense of 
his preservation, and lead him thereby to 
a better preparation for the next. 

FOR CONSOLATION. 

MOST gracious God, who, by thy Son 
Jesus Christ, hast knit us all togeth- 
er in one body, that we should love one 
another, and that, if one member suffer, all 
the members should suffer with it, we 
humbly implore thy tender mercies towards 
this our sick friend, of whose afflicted con- 
dition we desire to have a compassionate 
sense and feeling. 

Look graciously upon him, O Lord, 
and visit him with thy salvation. Grant 
unto him such consolation from above as 
9* 



we should desire for ourselves were we in 
his circumstances. Give him a truly pen- 
itent heart for all the offences he has at 
any time committed, and a lively faith in 
thy Son Jesus Christ, who came into the 
world to save sinners. Give him the com- 
fort of a holy hope that thou has accepted 
his repentance, and heard his prayer. 
Support him by this hope under all his 
pains, and enable him patiently to submit 
to thy fatherly correction. Send him help 
now in this time of need, both for his soul 
and body. Bless the means used for his 
recovery, and if it be thy good pleasure, 
restore him to his former health, together 
with a serious resolution in his heart to 
serve thee more zealously all his days ; or 
else give him grace so to take this visita- 
tion, that, after this painful life ended, he 
may dwell with thee in life everlasting, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

FOR SUBMISSION. 

ALMIGHTY God, the Creator and 
Governor of the universe, who hast so 
disposed all things as may best glorify thy 



wisdom, serve the ends of thy justice, and 
magnify thy mercy ; and who, by secret 
and undiscernible ways, ,br ingest good out 
of evil, we humbly pray thee to give us 
wisdom from above, that we may rever- 
ence thee in thy judgments, and adore thy 
footsteps, which are in the great d eep,and 
which cannot be searched out. Teach us 
to submit to thy providence in all things, 
to be content in all the changes of our 
condition ; to be temperate in prosperity ; 
meek, patient, and resigned in adversity ; 
and to look through the cloud of darkness 
and trouble for the light and consolation 
which thou, in thy mercy, vouchsafest to 
them who love thee. And grant that, in 
all our afflictions, we may fly unto thee for 
succor and support ; that we may wait for 
deliverance in such times and manners as 
thou hast reserved in thine own power, and 
graciously dispensest according to thine 
infinite wisdom and compassion ; and that, 
in the mean time, doing our duty with an 
unwearied diligence, and an undisturbed 
composure, our affections may be gradu- 
ally weaned from the vanities and posses- 
93 



sions of this world, and steadfastly fixed 
on that place where true joys are alone to 
be found, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

ANOTHER PRAYER FOR SUBMISSION AND 
RESIGNATION. 

OGOD, who by thy righteous Providence 
orderest all things well, and in subser- 
vience to thy glory, and to the good of thy 
creatures ; let thy will, we pray thee, be 
the measure of our desires, and thy provi- 
dence, in all the changes of life, the ground 
of our submission. Thou hast made and 
hitherto sustained us. Thou hast blessed 
us with unmerited mercies all our days, 
and protected us amidst innumerable dan- 
gers. Thou hast relieved us in our ca- 
lamities, and comforted us in our sorrows. 
In the remembrance, then, of thy past 
goodness, may we repose with filial confi- 
dence in thy love and favor, for the time 
to come. And more especially, O Lord, 
we beseech thee, that in the loss of our 
friends, whom thou hast guided in life by 
thy counsel, and blessed in death with thy 
peace and favor, we may not murmur or 
94 



repine, neither sorrow as those who have 
no hope. With the same hand thou hast 
crowned them and smitten us. Praised be 
thy name, O Lord, that thou didst call 
them to the knowledge of thy truth, and 
sanctify them by thy grace; that thou 
didst pour upon them the continual dew 
of thy blessing, and preserve them in their 
way through all the impediments of their 
salvation. We give thee thanks, O God, 
for all the graces and benefits which thou 
didst bestow upon them in time, and which 
thou hast reserved for them through eter- 
nity. And we beseech thee so to join us 
together with them in unity of spirit, that 
we, following their blessed steps in all vir- 
tuous and godly living, may cheerfully do 
thy will on earth, as they in heaven, and 
be made partakers with them of those un- 
utterable joys which thou hast prepared 
for them who love thee, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 

WHEN ANY MEMBER OF THE FAMILY IS SICK. 

THOU, O Lord, givest to thy creatures 
health and strength, and when thou 

95 



seest fit, visitest them with sickness and 
infirmity. Be pleased now to hear the 
prayers which we offer in behalf of thy 
servant, who is dear to us, and who is now 
afflicted by thy hand. Look down from 
heaven, behold, visit, and, in thine own 
good time, relieve him. Direct to the use 
of suitable means for his reccovery, and 
bless the application of them. Mitigate 
the sufferings of his disease, and dispose 
him to place all his trust and confidence, 
not in the help of man, but in thy prom- 
ises, power, and love. Be merciful to 
him, gracious Lord, not according to his 
deservings, but according to the necessity 
of the case and the multitude of thy 
mercies. In submission to thy most wise 
and good disposal of all things, we beseech 
thee that this bitter cup may pass away 
from thy servants, or give us grace so to 
improve it, as to set us forward in our way 
to life eternal. All of which we ask, &c. 



9 6 



A PRAYER UNDER SAD ACCIDENTS AND DIS- 
ASTERS BEFALLING THE BODY. 

OMOST merciful Father, who hast 
taught us that afflction rises not out 
of the dust, nor comes by chance and 
without thy appointment, we know that 
thy judgments are right, and that thou in 
faithfulness has afflicted this thy servant. 
O Lord, give him patience, and strength, 
and grace, proportionable to this great 
and sudden trial ; and enable him so to 
demean himself under it, that after the 
affliction he may find cause to say, " It 
was good for me to be afflicted." Thou 
hast torn and smitten ■; thou alone art able 
to heal and bind up. Of thine infinite 
mercy, we pray thee pitifully to look upon 
him in his low estate, and vouchsafe unto 
him that comfort and assistance, both for 
his soul and body, which he stands in need 
of, and which we cannot render. For his 
sake who was wounded for our transgres- 
sions, and bruised for our iniquities, for- 
give and comfort his soul; and in good 
time repair the breaches made upon his 
body, if it seem good in thy sight, and 
97 



make him to hear of joy and gladness, 
that the bones which thou hast broken 
may rejoice. 

Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make him 
whole. May it be thy gracious pleasure to 
glorify thy power and mercy in his help 
and recovery ; or, however thou mayst 
deal with his body, grant him a humble 
resignation to thy will, and satisfaction 
with thy dealings ; and make this sad dis- 
pensation, which is so grievous for the 
time, gracious and beneficial in the issue. 
O, make it the messenger of love to his 
soul 7 and the means of converting and 
sanctifying it, and fitting it for thy blissful 
presence hereafter. Grant these, &c. 

FOR ONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCED A HEAVY 
AFFLICTION, AND ALSO FOR THE FAMILY. 

MOST merciful Father, we kneel down 
before thee and humbly implore 
thy tender mercies in behalf of this family, 
of whose afflicted condition we desire to 
have a compassionate sense and feeling. 
In thy wisdom thou hast seen fit to visit 
them with trouble, and to bring distress 



upon them. Remember them, O Lord, in 
mercy, and comfort and relieve them ac- 
cording to the necessity of their case. 
Help them to see love in thy rod, and jus- 
tice in thy dealings, and to know that 
temporal afflictions, through thy blessing, 
turn to spiritual good. 

And, O God, look with pity and com- 
passion upon the unhappy condition of 
this thy afflicted servant, and grant to him 
a speedy and effectual assistance as may 
be agreeable to thy will. Lessen his dan- 
gers, assuage his pain, and bless the means 
which may be used for alleviating and re- 
moving the same. 

While it continueth, O Lord, vouchsafe 
unto him, we pray thee, the consoling 
and strengthening influences of thy Holy 
Spirit. Endue his soul with patience and 
resignation, and enable him to endure with 
becoming fortitude what thou hast laid 
upon him. Whatever of good is fitting for 
him to receive, we pray thee to bestow 
upon him. And O, may this affliction be 
so blessed to his good, as to dispose him 
to look with more indifference on this 



world, in which we are liable to so much 
pain and trouble, and to prepare himself 
for that world where trouble and sorrow 
are unknown. And shouldest thou be 
pleased to prolong his days, may he devote 
himself to thy service, and to thy glory, by 
doing good and serving thee in his gene- 
ration. Every other request we leave to 
thy wise disposal ; beseeching thee to order 
and overrule all things for his good, and to 
do for him, and for us, more than we can 
ask or think, for Jesus Christ's sake. 
Amen. 

As regards ourselves, may we be re- 
signed and contented under all the allot- 
ments of this our mortal pilgrimage ; and 
in the midst of the numerous dangers and 
casualties to which we are subject, in this 
mortal life, have grace always to keep in 
mind that piety is the only solid founda- 
tion of our security ; and that if our salva- 
tion be secured, we have no reason to fear 
any unforseen accident which may hasten 
us to it. 

Assist us mercifully, O Lord, in these 
our prayers, and dispose the way of thy 



servants towards the attainment of ever- 
lasting salvation, that amidst all the 
changes and casualties of this mortal life, 
we may ever be defended by thy most 
gracious and ready help, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 

FOR THE AFFLICTED. 

OLORD, we commend to thy fatherly 
goodness all those who are any ways 
afflicted in mind, body, or estate. Relieve 
the distressed, comfort the sorrowful, pro- 
tect the innocent, and awaken the guilty. 
Assist those who draw near the time of 
their dissolution, and so fit and prepare 
them, we pray thee, against the hour of 
death, that after their departure hence in 
peace, and in thy favor, their souls may be 
received into thy everlasting kingdom. 
And we bless thy holy name for all thy ser- 
vants departed this life in thy faith and 
fear, and more especially for those who were 
near and dear to us. We laud and mag- 
nify thee for thy great goodness in having 
given them a happy deliverance from the 
sins and sorrows of this miserable world ; 



and we most humbly beseech thee, that we 
may have grace to follow their good exam- 
ples in steadfastness of faith and godliness 
of life, that at the last day, we with them, 
may attain to the resurrection of the just, 
and hear the joyful voice of our Lord say- 
ing to us, " Come, ye blessed children of 
my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared 
for you from the foundation of the world." 
Grant this, O Father, for Jesus Christ's 
sake. Amen. 

ANOTHER PRAYER FOR THE AFFLICTED. 

FATHER of mercies and God of all 
comfort, remember every Christian 
soul bowed down with sorrow or sin, and 
all who stand in need of thy mercy and 
help. Look graciously upon the sick and 
needy, the lonely and the disconsolate; 
bind up the broken hearted, hear the cries 
of orphans and widows in their calamity, and 
lift up the light of thy countenance upon 
all who are in the valley of the shadow of 
death, supporting them in their agonies, 
their weaknesses, and temptations. In 
mercy remember them who have lost their 



health or their peace, their innocence or 
their hopes. Restore them, O Lord, to all 
good ; giving them pardon of their sins, 
patience under their sufferings, and a 
happy issue out of all their afflictions. 
And assist us, O Lord, in all the changes 
and chances of this mortal life. Be gracious 
to us in the time of trouble and calamity, 
and grant that in all our troubles we may 
put our whole trust and confidence in thy 
mercy. Strengthen our faith in our sick- 
nesses and sorrows, our temptations and 
trials. And when the days of our pilgrim- 
age are over, grant that we may die in thy 
fear and favor, and rest in a holy hope of 
our joyful resurrection, and the full and 
perfect consummation of our bliss, both in 
body and soul, in thy everlasting kindom, 
through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 
Amen. 

FOR ONE UNDER GRIEVOUS PAINS. 

OMOST merciful and compassionate 
Father, whose compassions fail not, 
mercifully regard, we beseech thee, with 
an eye of pity and compassion the sorrows 
103 



of this person, whom thou hast seen fit to 
visit with such sore and painful sickness. 
We know, O Lord, that thou dost not 
willingly afflict the children of men, but 
doest it only for their good. But, O God, 
thou knowest the weakness of our nature, 
and how little we can bear. And thou art 
witness to the burden, the painful and op- 
pressive burden, under which this thy ser- 
vant laboreth, and which crieth aloud to 
thee for ease. All the day long is he 
troubled, and in the night season he hath 
no rest. His body is filled with pain, and 
his soul is bowed down within him. 
Wherefore, we pray thee, most merciful 
Father, to have pity upon him, and either 
to lighten his affliction or give him grace 
to bear it. Send to him, we pray thee, 
the Holy Ghost the Comforter, and let thy 
grace abound in him in proportion to his 
need of it, that his spiritual grace and 
strength may be greater than his suffer- 
ings. Let thy grace refresh his spirit and 
support his soul. Deal very gently and 
tenderly with him, O Lord, and afflict him 
not above his strength. Make him to 
104 



taste and feel that thou art gracious, and 
that thou hast power to comfort those who 
are cast down. May he be perfectly re- 
signed to thy will, and with thy suffering 
saints of old be disposed to say, " The will 
of the Lord be done ; " " It is the Lord, 
let him do what seemeth him good." And 
should this long and painful sickness try 
his faith and patience, may it also confirm 
and strengthen them. And may it please 
thee, O God, so to sanctify it to his spirit- 
ual good, that it may be the blessed 
means of fitting him for the enjoyment of 
that happy place, where sorrow and sick- 
ness are unknown — even Immanuel's 
land, where thou, O Lord, wilt be the joy 
of thy people, and where the days of their 
mourning shall be ended. In view of the 
attainment of that happiness, and of those 
pleasures, may he not account his sick- 
ness painful, so that he may finally finish 
his course with joy, and enter upon that 
rest which thou hast prepared for thy peo- 
ple. 

We pray thee, O Lord, to bless all who 
are laboring ui der any bodily or mental 
105 



suffering. Relieve the distressed, comfort 
the sorrowful, protect the innocent, and 
awaken the guilty. Sanctify their afflic- 
tions to their good. Be thou a father also 
to the fatherless, a husband to the widow, 
a refuge to the oppressed, and a God of 
comfort and consolation to the sorrowful 
and afflicted, whatever may be their 
trouble or affliction. We ask all for Jesus 
Christ's sake. Amen. 

A SECOND PRAYER FOR ONE IN GREAT PAIN. 

FATHER of mercies and God of all 
comfort, who alone canst comfort those 
who are cast down, look with pity, we be- 
seech thee, upon the suffering condition of 
this thy sick servant. What wearisome 
days and nights thou hast appointed him, 
O God, thou knowest. Thou hast made 
him acquainted with grief, and sickness 
has now become his familiar companion. 
We know, O Lord, that the hours of his 
sufferings are numbered, and that thou 
countest them to him. Grant that he may 
acquiesce with his whole heart in what 
thou art pleased to inflict, who orderest 
1 06 



every thing for the good of thy creatures. 
And forasmuch as he is very weak and 
frail, lay not more upon him, O Lord, 
than he is able to bear. Have mercy 
upon him ; have mercy upon him, O God, 
and afflict him not above his strength. 
Hear the prayers which he putteth forth 
in the anguish of his spirit, and have re- 
gard to the voice of his supplications. 
Grant to him, we pray thee, that sensible 
relief and comfort which his case so im- 
peratively requires. In all the pains of 
his body, in all the troubles of his spirit, 
do thou, O Lord, comfort and support 
him. Pardon all his sins, and gladden his 
heart with the tokens of thy love and fa- 
vor in Christ Jesus. Grant that the 
precious promises of thy Word may be so 
applied to his mind, under the influence 
of thy Spirit, as to become a rich source 
of consolation to him under this long and 
painful sickness. And sanctify to him, 
we pray thee, every pain and every sor- 
row, that he may pass through the furnace 
of affliction as gold purified in the fire ; 
and when he hast suffered all thou hast 
107 



appointed him, may he come off more 
than conqueror, through Him who hath 
loved him, and died for him, even Jesus 
Christ our Lord. 

Whatever may be the issue of this sick- 
ness, O God, give him grace so to profit 
by it, that, after this painful life ended, he 
may dwell with thee in life everlasting, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

And grant, O Lord, that each and all 
of us, in our best estate of health, may 
seriously consider how frail and mortal we 
are. May we not boast ourselves of to- 
morrow, nor forget our dependence upon 
thee. Give us grace to pass the time of 
our sojourning here in thy faith and fear, 
and to live soberly, righteously, and godly 
in the world, and as becometh those who 
must shortly die, and appear before thee 
in judgment. And may we all be so pre- 
pared for the hour of our departure hence, 
that it may be our happy lot to die the 
death of the righteous, and that our last 
end may be peaceful and blessed. All 
which we ask, &c. 



A THIRD PRAYER FOR ONE UNDER GRIEVOUS 
PAINS. 

OGOD, our Refuge and Strength, who 
art a present help in time of trouble, 
look graciously and favorably, we humbly 
pray thee, upon this thy afflicted servant, 
and if agreeable to thy will, send him ease 
and comfort in this his time of need. 
Grant unto him a meek and quiet sub- 
mission to thy will, that he mayest wait with 
patience till thou seest fit to deliver him. 
Suffer not the extremity of his pain to 
cause him to entertain a hard thought of 
thy providence, but may he still believe 
thee to be a kind and merciful Father, 
whilst thou art smiting and afflicting him 
for his spiritual good. 

And that he may be enabled to do so, 
strengthen him, we pray thee, with thy 
grace, and lay not more upon him than 
thou wilt enable him to bear. (In the 
multitude of the sorrows which he has in 
his heart, let thy comforts refresh his soul. 
Grant unto him a sweet sense -of thy ten- 
der mercies, which have been ever of old, 
and which endure continually.) Comfort 
109 



him with a sense of thy goodness, cheer 
him with the light of thy countenance, 
gladden his heart with the tokens of 
thy favor, support him under his pains 
and troubles, and in thy good time de- 
liver him from them. Give success to the 
remedies that are used for his recovery, 
and restore him speedily to his former 
health. Pardon all his sins, and enlighten 
his mind with whatever thou mayest see 
fitting for him to know in regard to thee, 
himself, or his duty. Make him. thankful 
for this opportunity of spiritual improve- 
ment ; and may he so avail himself of the 
same, that this " sickness of his body may 
result in the everlasting health of his soul." 
O that his whole heart, and soul, and 
mind may be daily more conformed to the 
image of his Savior. O that his present 
experience, and deep sense of the frailty 
of his mortal nature, and of the uncer- 
tainty of life, may elevate the more earn- 
estly his hopes and desires to heaven, — to 
that blessed place, where sickness, and 
sorrow, and trouble are unknown, and 
"where the weary are at rest." 



Fit him, O God, for living or dying. If 
it shall be thy pleasure to release him from 
his bed of pain and languishing, and to 
live longer upon the earth, may he have 
grace to live in thy fear, and to thy praise 
and glory; and if thou hast determined 
that this sickness shall be a sickness unto 
death, and this visitation his last visita- 
tion, prepare him, O merciful God, by 
thy grace, for thy blessed self, and grant 
him a safe and comfortable passage out of 
this wretched life to an infinitely better, 
through the merits and mediation of thy 
beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 

And do thou give us all grace so to 
live, that we may comfortably look up to 
thee at all times, and especially in a time 
of sickness, as our constant Friend and 
most tender Father, as our life and health, 
our rest and joy, through Jesus Christ c-ur 
Lord and Savior. Amen. 

FOR ONE WHO CANNOT UNITE IN THE 
PRAYER UNDERSTANDINGLY. 

ALMIGHTY God, the help of all 
who put their trust in thee, and 



o 



the relief of the needy, hear the prayers 
which we now offer unto thy divine 
Majesty in behalf of this person, who, by 
reason of her mental disorder, and bodily 
weakness and distress, is unable to pray 
for herself. Look with pity and compas- 
sion, we pray thee, upon her unhappy 
condition, and comfort and relieve her ac- 
cording to the necessity of her case. Lord, 
thou knowest her condition, her thoughts, 
and what she needs; be pleased, there- 
fore, to relieve her according to her neces- 
sities. Look upon her, O Lord, in mercy, 
and grant unto her such help, both for her 
soul and body, as she stands in need of. 
Whatever of good is fitting for us to ask, 
and her to receive, we pray thee to be- 
stow upon her. Pardon all her sins. Give 
her a saving interest in the blood of Jesus. 
Lighten her griefs, and preserve her from 
bodily and mental pain. Bless to her 
benefit the means that are used for her 
recovery. Restore her, if consistent with 
thy wisdom, to health of body and to 
soundness and vigor of mind, that her soul 
may bless and praise thy holy name. And 
112 



O, sanctify this affliction to her good, that 
it may be the means of qualifying her for 
thy presence hereafter. These things, and 
whatever else thou mayest see good for 
her, we humbly ask, for the sake of Jesus 
Christ our Lord. 

FOR ONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCED EASE, 
BOTH IN MIND AND BODY. 



LORD, we kneel down before thee, and 
gratefully thank thee, that thou hast 
been pleased to send this thy servant ease, 
both in soul and body. 

Notwithstanding the sorrows which he 
had in his heart, thy comforts have re- 
freshed his soul. And though burdened 
and bowed down on account of his sins, 
thou hast now vouchsafed unto him ease 
of mind, and a comfortable sense of thy 
reconciled love and favor. (Blessed be 
thy name, O Lord, that thou didst not 
take him away in his sins, and that thou 
hast now given him grace and opportunity 
to repent.) Continue to him, we beseech 
thee, the exercise of thy loving kindness 



towards him, and perfect that which con- 
cerneth him. 

If consistent with thy will, we pray thee 
to continue to prosper the means of his 
recovery. Do for him as thou seest good, 
and overrule all for his best interest, tem- 
poral and eternal. 

We would further thank thee, that thou 
dost enable him so submissively to acqui- 
esce in thy will in regard to this dispensa- 
tion, and to endure the same with such 
becoming fortitude and resignation. Con- 
tinue to him, we pray thee, the strength- 
ening and refreshing influences of thy 
Holy Spirit. And grant unto him, at all 
times, such sensible tokens of thy favor, 
such experience of thy love, such hope of 
thy glory, as may confirm his opinion of 
thy favor towards him ; and that he may 
know and feel that thou hast afflicted him 
in love only for his good, and with a view 
to fit him for the enjoyment of thy pres- 
ence hereafter. Be thou, O God, his por- 
tion and his inheritance, his eternal and 
unchangeable Friend, the support of his 
life, the relief and solace of his soul, under 
114 



all the pains and sorrows which he may 
yet experience, and his everlasting rest and 
happiness in heaven. 

And since many are the afflictions of 
the righteous, Lord, remember them in all 
their troubles. In all their afflictions do 
thou comfort and support them, and let 
the angel of thy presence save them. In 
thy love and in thy pity do thou assist 
them, and bear them, and carry them, as 
in the days of old. Amen. 

FOR ONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCED MUCH 
RELIEF. 

MOST merciful and gracious God, the 
Giver of life, of health, and safety, 
we gratefully thank thee for thy goodness 
in restoring this person, in some degree, to 
his former health. We have reason to be- 
lieve that his sickness has abated, and that 
he is now beginning to amend. To thee, 
O Lord, be the praise and the glory, for 
thine hand hath done it. Thou only canst 
heal; thou only canst restore to perfect 
health. And we pray thee, heavenly 
Father, that thou wilt perfect the cure 
115 



which thou hast begun in him. Restore 
him speedily, we beseech thee, to his for- 
mer health ; and give him grace to testify 
his gratitude by an humble, holy, and 
obedient walking before thee all his days, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

While he continueth to lie on this bed 
of sickness, continue to him, we pray thee, 
the consolations of thy grace. Give him 
comfortable thoughts of thy love, and of 
that tender, compassionate care which 
thou ever exercisest towards thy afflicted 
children. Thy presence, Lord, can make 
even the bed of pain comfortable. O, 
then, lift upon him the light of thy coun- 
tenance, and diffuse over his soul that 
heavenly peace and serenity which cometh 
only of thee, and which sickness itself can- 
not deprive him of. And in the comfort 
hereof, may he at no time be weary and 
faint in his mind under this affliction, but 
uniformly endeavor so meekly and sub- 
missively to bear it, as to glorify thee, and 
to manifest the power of thy grace. 

May this sickness be so blessed to his 
spiritual improvement, that, when restored 
116 



to perfect health, he may serve thee with 
increased zeal, and with an earnest desire 
to please thee, and to promote thine honor 
and glory. 

And help this family, O Lord, while this 
affliction continueth, to bear it with calm- 
ness and patience, trusting all their con- 
cerns to thy fatherly bosom, and resting in 
an assured confidence that thou wilt make 
this, and all thy other dispensations, to 
work together for their good. All which 
we ask, &c. 

ANOTHER FOR ONE WHO IS MUCH BETTER. 

BLESS the Lord, O our souls, and all 
that is within us, bless a.nd praise his 
holy name. Bless the Lord, O our souls, 
and forget not all his benefits ; who for- 
giveth all our sins, who healeth all our in- 
firmities, who redeemeth our lives from 
destruction, and crowneth us with mercies 
and loving kindness. 

We bless thee; we praise thee; we 

thank thee heartily, O Lord, for the relief 

thou hast granted to this our sick friend. 

Surely, O Lord, thou pitiest us as a father 

117 



pitieth his children, and hearest the prayers 
of those who cry unto thee. Gracious art 
thou and merciful, full of compassion, and 
of great goodness to all thy creatures. 
Grant, we beseech thee, that the relief 
which thou hast given this thy servant may 
be to us a token for good ; confirm the 
kindness thou hast already displayed, and 
in thy good time perfect the cure which 
thou hast begun in him. 

Yet, O God, seeing it is his duty to ex- 
ercise the most implicit submission to thy 
will, may he be disposed, cheerfully, to ac- 
quiesce in whatever thou mayest see good 
to order in regard to him, knowing that 
thou doest all things well, and that thou 
hast graciously promised that " all things 
shall work together for good of them who 
love and fear thee." 

In submission to thy will, we pray thee 
to continue to bless the means of his re- 
covery. Let not his confidence in these, 
however, or in any human instrumentality, 
lessen his dependence upon thee. On 
thee, and thee alone, may he depend for 
his bodily recovery and spiritual improve- 
118 



ment. And when restored to health, may 
he testify the sincerity of his gratitude, by 
an humble and obedient walking before 
thee all his days, and by an habitual en- 
deavor to prepare himself for thy heavenly 
kingdom. 

Let his thoughts, under this dispensa- 
tion, be only thoughts of love and thank- 
fulness, or resignation and obedience, and 
hope of thy continued mercies and good- 
ness. And O, let not this trial of his faith 
fail in answering the purposes for which 
it was sent. May it awaken in his mind 
a lively sense of the shortness and uncer- 
tainty of life, and of his entire dependence 
upon thee for health, strength, and every 
temporal and spiritual blessing. May it 
make religion more precious to his soul, 
and dispose him to give all diligence 
to make his calling and election sure. 
May the experience which he has now 
had of the uncertainty of life, and the 
frailty of his mortal nature, dispose him to 
place his affections and desires supremely 
on things above, and at all times so care- 
fully and watchfully to live, that sickness 
119 



or death may not surprise him unpre- 
pared. 

We pray for all those who, in this 
transitory life, are in trouble, sorrow, need. 
sickness, or any other adversity. Of thy 
great goodness, O Lord, comfort and suc- 
cor them also. Show them the light of 
thy countenance, sustain them in all their 
trials, and make all things to work to- 
gether for their present and eternal wel- 
fare. All which we ask, &c. 

THANKSGIVING FOR COMPLETE RECOVERY. 

MOST merciful and gracious God, the 
Giver of life, of health, and of 
safety ; who healest all our diseases and 
savest us from the power of death, we re- 
turn thee our humble and hearty thanks 
for thy great goodness in restoring this 
thy servant to health. Gracious art thou, 
O Lord, and merciful, and full of com- 
passion to the children of men. May 
he have a deep and lively sense of this 
instance of thy mercy towards him, and 
be disposed to show forth his gratitude for 



the same, by devoting the residue of his 
days in an humble, holy, and obedient 
walking before thee, through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. 

O thou most merciful Preserver of men, 
as thou hast now healed his body, be 
pleased to heal his soul also. Purify it 
from every sinful disorder, and as he has 
now the prospect of a longer space to im- 
prove himself in piety and virtue, and to 
prepare for thy coming hereafter, give him 
grace so to improve it that he may be 
found of thee at last in peace, and be ad- 
mitted by thee in thy eternal and glorious 
kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

We beseech thee, heavenly Father, to 
behold with thy favor and blessing all the 
sick and afflicted, and to supply them 
with such blessings as they stand in need 
of. Sanctify thy fatherly correction to 
them under all their tribulations, that they 
may not faint under thy afflicting hand. 
And may their light affliction of a moment 
work out for them an exceeding and eter- 
nal weight of glory. 

Bless, we pray thee, O Lord, this family. 



Bless them with every good thing, spiritual 
and temporal. Especially bless them in 
their souls. May they all be savingly in- 
terested in the blood of Jesus. May they 
all be rich in faith, and heirs of thy king- 
dom. May their habitation be the abode 
of peace, of happiness, and of love. May 
it always be a house of prayer; and from 
its domestic altar may the incense of 
prayer and praise daily ascend with pleas- 
ing acceptance in thy sight, O thou Hearer 
of prayer. 

And may it please thee to bless their 
children also. May they have grace to 
remember thee their Creator in the days 
of their youth. Purify their hearts and 
sanctify their affections, that they may 
grow up in thy fear and service. And as 
they grow in stature, may they grow in 
grace and wisdom, and in favor with thee 
and man, and thus become ornaments of 
thy holy religion. Graft in their hearts 
the love of thy name, increase in them 
true religion, nourish them with all good- 
ness, and of thy great mercy keep them in 
the same, that so in the end they may ob- 



tain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. All which we ask, &c. 

ANOTHER THANKSGIVING FOR COMPLETE 
RECOVERY. 

WE desire, with grateful hearts, to ap- 
proach thy throne, most merciful 
Father, and to bless and praise thy holy 
name. Of thy goodness thou hast been 
pleased to raise thy sick servant from the 
bed of suffering, and to restore him again 
to health. What shall we render unto 
thee, O Lord, for this, and all thy other 
benefits ! Truly, thou art good and thy 
mercy endureth forever. Praise the Lord, 
O our souls, and forget not all his bene- 
fits : Who forgiveth all our sins, and 
healeth all our infirmities, who saveth our 
lives from destruction, and crowneth us 
with mercies and loving kindnesses. 

And now that the health of our friend is 
again restored, may his life be devoted to 
thy service and to thy glory. May he not 
forget the vows and resolutions which were 
made by him in his sickness; nor may 
they be as the morning cloud, or early 
123 



dew, that vanisheth away, but may his life 
testify that they have all been made in the 
strength of divine grace. May he now 
manifest less love for this world, and more 
love for heaven ; less love for the creature, 
and more love for his Savior. Graft in 
his heart the love of thy name ; increase 
in him true religion, nourish him with all 
goodness, and of thy great mercy keep 
him in the same, through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. 

Heavenly Father, though thou hast mer- 
cifully preserved him at this time, may he 
have grace seriously to remember that the 
time will soon come when he must depart 
hence. May this thought induce him, 
and all of us, diligently to prepare our- 
selves for the awful event, that death may 
not surprise us in a state unprepared. All 
which we ask, &c. 



w 



THANKSGIVING FOR RECOVERY. 

E humbly thank thee, O gracious 



prayers of thy servants, and, restoring him 

who was lately brought low by the visita- 

124 



tion of sickness, hast raised him up from 
the gates of the grave. Thou hast deliv- 
ered his soul from death, his eyes from 
tears, and his feet from falling. O Lord, 
we thank and praise thee sincerely for thy 
great mercy. Let it be good for us that 
we have been in sorrow and affliction ; 
and while our humble trust in thy mercy 
is strengthened, teach him and us the un- 
certainty of this life, and give us grace to 
fix our hopes upon thy promises of that 
life which is holier and happier. All 
which we ask for Jesus Christ's sake. 

The follotving may be added to either of the fore- 
going. 

THOU, O Lord, didst revoke the sen- 
tence which appeared to have gone 
out against thy sick servant. Unto thee 
may he ascribe the honor and the praise. 
May he be glad and rejoice in thy mercy, 
for thou hast considered his trouble, and 
hast known his soul in adversity. As thou 
hast spread thy hand upon him for a cov- 
ering, so also enlarge his heart with thank- 
fulness, and fill his mouth with praise. 
125 



And let thy favor and loving kindness en- 
dure forever and ever upon thy servant, and 
grant that what thou hast sown in mercy 
may spring up in duty. O, let thy grace 
so strengthen his purposes, that he may 
sin no more. Let him walk in the light 
of thy countenance, and in the way of thy 
commandments, that, living here to the 
glory of thy name, he may at last enter 
into the glory of thy kingdom, and spend 
eternity in thy praise. All which we 
ask, &c. 

FOR A YOUNG PERSON WHO IS SICK. 

ALMIGHTY God, the Author and 
Disposer of life and of health, be 
pleased to draw nigh unto us at this time, 
we pray thee, and graciously regard our 
supplications for this thy young servant. 
Forasmuch as thou hast seen fit to visit 
him with thy chastening dispensation, we 
entreat thee that it may be sanctified to 
the good of his soul. May it impress upon 
his tender mind the uncertainty of life, and 
the importance of being prepared for 
death. May it teach him also his de- 
126 



pendence upon thee, and his duty of 
prayer, gratitude, and love to thee, as the 
kind Giver of all good. O, impart unto 
him a spirit of prayer and repentance, and 
regard with compassion the tenderness of 
his youth, and the tears of his suffering. 
In mercy, we pray thee to mitigate the 
pains of his body, and to calm the fears 
of his mind. Vouchsafe unto him the 
soothing influence of a Savior's love upon 
his spirit, that he may be wholly resigned 
to thy will, that his present weakness may 
prove his spiritual strength, and the con- 
firmation of his faith in Christ to the sal- 
vation of his soul. May he be owned and 
blessed of thee as an accepted lamb of 
thy flock. And we pray thee that it may 
please thee to restore him to health in thy 
appointed time, purified and blessed by 
thy chastening corrections ; that his days 
may be prolonged in a life of devotedness 
to thee and thy service, and that he may 
be instrumental in promoting thy glory, 
and of leading others in the way of life 
everlasting. 

But, O God, however thou hast ordered 
127 



the issue of this sickness, we earnestly en- 
treat thee to prepare him for his depart- 
ure. May he be purified from all sinful 
defilements, adorned with the robes of his 
Savior's righteousness, and made holy and 
clean in the inner man. And when 
the time of his departure may come, 
may he leave the world in peace, and in 
the glorious triumph of the just made per- 
fect, and be received by thee in the re- 
gions of felicity, there to dwell forever and 
ever. All which we ask, &c. 

FOR A SICK CHILD. 

ALMIGHTY God and merciful Father, 
to whom alone belong the issues of 
life and death, look down from heaven, we 
humbly beseech thee, with the eyes of 
mercy upon this sick child. Deliver him, 
O Lord, in thy good appointed time from 
his bodily pain, and visit him with thy 
salvation ; that, if it should be thy good 
pleasure to prolong his days here upon 
earth, he may live to thee, and be an in- 
strument of thy glory by doing good, and 

128 



by serving thee faithfully in his genera- 
tion; or else receive him into those heav- 
enly habitations where the souls of those 
who sleep in Jesus enjoy perpetual rest 
and felicity. Grant this, O Lord, for 
Jesus Christ's sake. 

A SECOND PRAYER FOR A SICK CHILD. 

OGod of the spirits of all flesh ; the 
smallest as well as the greatest are 
thy work, and neither beyond the compass 
of thy providence, nor beneath thy notice 
and care. Wherefore we pray thee, 
heavenly Father, to look graciously upon 
this little one ; let thy thoughts be full of 
pity, and full of compassion towards it; 
and vouchsafe unto it that ease and relief 
which its case requires, and which we can- 
not render. Deal very gently and ten- 
derly with it, O Lord, and lay not more 
upon it than it can bear. Prosper and 
bless the means which are used for its re- 
covery, and vouchsafe unto it as speedy 
and effectual relief as may be consistent 
with thy will. 

Look with pity upon the fears and sor- 
129 



rows of its afflicted parents, who acknow- 
ledge their dependence upon thee, and re- 
joice that they are dependent upon a mer- 
ciful and prayer-hearing God. If it please 
thee, therefore, restore this little one to 
health, that it may grow up to be a com- 
fort to them, and an instrument of good 
in its generation ; or else receive it in thy 
heavenly kingdom for thy mercies' sake, 
in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Sanctify this affliction, O Lord, to this 
afflicted family; bless them, and cause the 
light of thy countenance to shine upon 
them, and, as a token of thy favor, grant 
deliverance to this little sufferer, for Jesus 
Christ's sake. Amen. 

A THIRD PRAYER FOR A SICK CHILD. 

OLORD, our only help in time of need, 
look down from heaven, we humbly 
beseech thee; behold, visit, and relieve 
this sick child, in whose behalf we now 
pray. Look graciously upon it, and bless 
the means which are used for its recovery. 
Lord, its life is in thine hand ; may it be 
precious in thy sight. Spare it, good 
130 



Lord; spare it, we beseech thee, and grant 
it a longer continuance in thy earthly 
kingdom, — that it may yet see much good 
in this life, and may become a blessing to 
its friends, and an instrument of good in its 
generation ; and that all of us may have 
occasion, on account of its deliverance, to 
bless and magnify thy holy name. 

We believe, O Lord, that thou knowest 
what is best for it, and for its friends, and 
that thou wilt do what is best for both. 
Help them, therefore, O Lord, to bow 
with implicit submission to thy dispensa- 
tion, and not in words only, but from their 
hearts to say, " Father, not our will, but 
thine, be done." 

To thy merciful care and keeping we 
now commend it beseeching thee that, 
whether it live or die, it may be thine. 
Either preserve it to be thy true and faith- 
ful servant upon earth, or take it to the 
blessedness of thy children in the kingdom 
of heaven, through the merits of our Lord 
and Savior Jesus Christ. All which we 
ask, &c. 

131 



FOR A CHILD THAT IS LIKELY TO DIE. 

BLESSED be thy name, O Lord, for 
the assurance that not one of these 
little ones shall perish, and that " of such 
is the kingdom of heaven." 

Righteous Father, who hath been 
pleased to try this little one with sore af- 
fliction, grant it now a happy release from 
the severity of this trial • let thy holy an- 
gels watch around its bed, and when its 
spirit quits its earthly tenement, may it be 
carried by them into thy heavenly king- 
dom. 

Look graciously, O Lord, upon this 
family, and give them grace to be resigned 
to thy will. Let them not sorrow as those 
without hope — bearing in mind, "that 
those who sleep in Jesus, will God bring 
with him again at the last day." 

Sanctify this affliction to their good, 
and grant that it may lead them to live 
more closely with thee, and to devote 
themselves more heartily to thy service. 
Give them grace to love thee supremely, 
to live above the world, and to be diligent 
132 



in every good work, that when they shall 
have served thee in their generation, they 
may be gathered to their children, having 
the testimony of a good conscience in the 
communion of the church ; in the confi- 
dence of a certain faith ; in the comfort of 
a reasonable and religious hope ; in favor 
with thee, our God, and in perfect charity 
with the world. Grant these petitions, O 
Lord, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. 

FOR A SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHOLAR, VERY 
SICK. 

OGOD, our heavenly Father, thou who 
hast said by thy Son Jesus Christ our 
Redeemer, " Suffer little children to come 
unto me," graciously regard, we implore 
thee, this child, here lying in pain and 
suffering. 

May it please thee, most merciful Fath- 
er, to shield it as a tender lamb of thy 
flock, that has been taught to love and 
obey thy precepts, to listen with pleasure 
to the instructions of thy word ; whose in- 
fant voice has learned to call upon thy 
holy name for protection, and whose 
i33 



tongue has joined in the songs of thy 
praise. Regard it, we beseech thee, in 
mercy now, and soothe the suffering of its 
body ; let the mild influence of thy coun- 
tenance sweetly compose its tender spirit, 
that it may not fear to die. Bless and 
prosper with success the means employed 
for its recovery. And, O, if consistent 
with thy will, let it be restored to health, 
that it may grow up in the ways of virtue, 
truth, and righteousness, that its days may 
be many and useful in the promotion of 
the good of others, that its Christian life 
may be the happiness and comfort of its 
parents, and an example of the fruits of 
thy religion to the world. But if thou hast 
otherwise determined, take it gently and 
calmly from a bed of suffering, from a 
world of pain, sin, and sorrow, home to 
thyself, there to sing thy praises forever, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

And now we ask thy blessing upon its 
afflicted parents, (its brothers and sisters ;) 
and may this sickness, whatever be its re- 
sult, as an example of thy chastening for 
good, teach them all obedience to thee, 
134 



and their duty to look to thee at all times, 
as to a kind and indulgent parent, for com- 
fort in affliction, for grace in temptation, 
and for wisdom and counsel in prosperity. 
Be pleased to hear and answer these our 
petitions through Jesus Christ our Lord 
and Mediator. Amen. 

FOR A SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHOLAR OF RE- 
SPONSIBLE AGE, SICK, AND ANXIOUS 
ABOUT THE SALVATION OF HIS SOUL. 

A LMIGHTY God, who taketh away 
1\ the sins of all those who call upon 
thy holy name in sincere faith and true 
repentance; we bow before thee, con- 
fessing our sinfulness, yet relying upon 
thy willingness to forgive all our trans- 
gressions. O regard, we earnestly beseech 
thee, with mercy and compassion, thy 
young servant, now prostrate with sick- 
ness, who turns to thee with an ardent de- 
sire for the consolation of thy Spirit and 
blessing in this time of affliction. Awaken 
in his heart a deep sense of humiliation 
for his past transgressions, a lively grati- 
tude for thy past favors and long forbear - 
i35 



ance, so kindly bestowed upon him. And 
O, assist him by thy grace, sincerely to 
repent of his sins, to rely upon thy blessed 
promises of salvation to those who trust 
in thy Son, our Redeemer and Lord. 
Forgive him, we pray thee, the errors and 
follies of his life ; and now that he bows 
before thy chastening rod, and supplicates 
thy mercy, smile graciously upon him, and 
cause him to realize that thou dost an- 
swer his prayers, and art reconciled to his 
favor. Sanctify this sickness to his 
spiritual good. Let his mind instructively 
dwell upon thy Word, in which he has 
been so repeatedly taught ; and may its 
glorious truths, the revelation of thy good- 
ness and thy love, thy justice and thy 
mercy, thy promises to the righteous and 
thy penalties to the wicked, and thy plan 
of redemption and salvation from sin freely 
offered to all, be deeply impressed on his 
mind; and shouldest thou grant his re- 
covery, for which we humbly and earnestly 
pray, may all the precepts of thy Word, 
treasured in his heart, be the guide of his 
future life, that he may glorify thee, O 
136 



Lord, in all his ways, and be an example 
and a blessing to his generation. But if 
thou hast otherwise determined, O, for the 
sake of thy Son, who died for his sins, we 
implore thee to prepare him for death ; to 
purify his soul from every vestige of sin, 
that, adorned with the spotless robes of 
thy redeeming love, it may leave this sin- 
ful world rejoicing in thy salvation, pre- 
pared for thy holy courts, where, with the 
redeemed who have gone before it, it may 
glorify thee, the Father, Son and Holy 
Spirit, forever and ever. Amen. 

FOR A SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHOLAR, SICK AND 
PENITENT. 

MOST merciful Father, we bow before 
thee at this time, humbly, but 
earnestly, to supplicate thy pardoning 
mercy in behalf of this sick child, who is 
sincerely sorry for his past sins, and now 
desires pardon and forgiveness. Gracious 
God, inasmuch as thou hast been pleased, 
of thy great goodness, so to sanctify this 
visitation of thy providence to his good, 
by making him sensible of his sinfulness 
i37 



and penitent for his transgressions, O, con- 
tinue thy work of reformation in his heart, 
we beseech thee ; wash away all the stains 
of sin from his youthful spirit, and so en- 
tirely purify and renovate his disposition 
and affections, that he may love thee su- 
premely, and become a humble and docile 
lamb of thy flock, — ever ready to listen to 
thy voice, and to be obedient to thy will. 
Let thy glorious attributes — thy goodness, 
thy mercy, thy righteousness, thy power, 
and thy boundless love to thy children, of 
which he has been repeatedly instructed 
in thy Word — be so deeply impressed 
upon his heart, that shouldest thou spare 
his life, for which we earnestly pray, the 
graces of thy holy religion may then in- 
crease with his years, and in > due time 
ripen and bring forth abundant fruit to thy 
honor and glory, and the salvation of his 
soul. Regard with thy tenderest mercy, 
we pray thee, the sufferings of his body; 
proportion thy grace to his necessities, and 
sanctify his affliction still more to his good. 
And O, gracious Father, should it be thy 
will that this sickness should result in 
138 



death, be pleased, we beseech thee, to 
prepare his spirit for thy presence, and 
when it leaves his body, may thy holy 
angels gently convey it to the arms of his 
Savior, there to rejoice and be happy for- 
ever. For thy Son, our Redeemer's sake, 
O Lord, we pray thee to grant all these 
our petitions. Amen. 

FOR A SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHOLAR OF RE- 
SPONSIBLE AGE, SICK UNTO DEATH, AND 
WITHOUT HOPE IN CHRIST. 

OLORD, our God, aid us by thy Spirit, 
that we may look to thee in confidence 
while we offer our petitions in behalf of 
this youth before thee. We believe that 
thou hast heard and answered the prayers 
of thy children in times of affliction, and 
in the last hours of life hast bestowed thy 
pardoning mercy even upon malefactors. 
We therefore humbly ask thy mercy for 
this youth. Cause him to realize that he 
has sinned against thee, his Benefactor; 
give him grace that he may sincerely re- 
pent and earnestly entreat thy forgiveness. 
O, through the blood of the atonement, 
139 



pardon, his transgressions, wash away all 
the stains of sin from his soul, ere these 
last hours of his probation be ended for- 
ever. Mitigate, we pray thee, the suffer- 
ings of his body, and as its strength yields 
to the wasting power of disease, destroy- 
ing all hope of his recovery, O, may his 
soul yield to the gentle influences of thy 
Holy Spirit, that he may be strong in 
faith, strong in the Christian's hope, strong 
in the triumph of thy salvation, even in 
the hour of weakness and death. May 
the manifestations of thy Spirit, thy love, 
and thy pardoning grace and mercy, be 
such as to increase and perfect the faith 
and hope of his friends in the full recovery 
of his soul from the malady of sin, and its 
restoration to thy favor ; and may this ca- 
lamity be sanctified to their good also, in- 
creasing their faith and obedience to thee. 
Grant, Lord, that he may be so prepared 
for death, — so resigned to thy will, that, 
when the trying moment shall come, the 
silver cord may be gently loosed, that his 
spirit may depart in peace, be borne to 
thy presence, and there welcomed to the 
140 



joys of its Lord and Savior, and be happy 
forever. Be pleased to grant these our 
petitions, for the Redeemer's sake. Amen. 

FOR A SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER IN SICK- 
NESS AND PAIN. 

OMOST holy, blessed, and glorious 
Trinity, — Father, Son, and Holy 
Ghost, — Eternal Three in One ! we bow 
before thy divine Majesty in great humil- 
ity for our sins, in adoration of thy glori- 
ous attributes and perfections, and in meek 
submission to thy will. And we beseech 
thee, O God, to regard us, thy unworthy 
servants, with much mercy and compas- 
sion while we now implore thy gracious 
favor and assistance in behalf of thy young 
servant, here languishing upon a bed of 
pain and sickness. 

O Lord, soothe the sufferings of his 
body, we pray thee, and by thy grace com- 
fort and resign his spirit to thy chastening 
hand. Dispose him to look to thee as to 
an indulgent parent, for mercy, for conso- 
lation, and for thy blessing in this time of 
need. O, strengthen his faith in thee, in- 
141 



crease the fervor of his prayers, and grant 
unto him the glowing influences of thy 
Spirit in his heart, as an assurance that 
thou hast remitted his sins, that he is born 
of the Spirit, and is an heir of heaven. 
And though he is now deprived of the 
blessings of health, of the enjoyments of 
society, of the sacred sanctuary privileges 
of thy holy Sabbath, and of engaging in 
his accustomed duties of instructing the 
young in the truths of thy blessed Word, 
in which his heart delighted ; though de- 
prived of all these, may his soul not re- 
pine, nor his heart murmur against thy 
visitation, but may he realize that he is 
not deserted of thee, that thou art with 
him still, to cheer and sustain his spirit in 
this trial of his faith. O, fill his soul with 
thy love, and enliven his mind with the 
glory of thy presence; elevate his affec- 
tions, and cause this sickness to wean his 
heart from the vanities and fleeting enjoy- 
ments of this world, and more forcibly to 
teach him that there is nothing sure and 
reliable but heaven ; nothing abiding to 
the soul but thy love ; and grant unto 
142 



him, we pray thee, these for his comfort, 
and as an earnest of eternal happiness in 
thy kingdom. Direct and bless with effi- 
cacy, O God, we beseech thee, the means 
employed for his recovery, that it may 
please thee speedily to restore him to 
health, to the society of his friends, and to 
the field of his labors, that his days may 
be many and useful, that he may lead a 
life of Christian piety, walking in the ways 
of wisdom, charity, and love ; and that at 
last, his life ended, he may be received 
into the mansions of the Savior, and 
crowned as a faithful steward of his 
Master and Lord. All which we ask 
through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. 
Amen. 

FOR A FAMILY SUDDENLY BEREAVED OF A 
CHILD BY ACCIDENT. 

ALMIGHTY God, who alone hast 
the power and the right to give and 
to take away \ we bow before thee at this 
time to invoke the consolations of thy Holy 
Spirit in behalf of this deeply-afflicted 
family. Thou, and thou only, O God, 
i43 



canst comfort and support them under 
this sore bereavement — a bereavement as 
deep and solemn as unexpected. O, then 
impart unto them, we earnestly beseech 
thee, such a measure of thy grace as will 
be sufficient for them. Without this, the 
tender and endearing ties of parental love, 
so suddenly severed, cannot be bound up. 
Lord, in thy wisdom and in thy love, thou 
hast seen fit to remove from their loved 
embrace forever the child of their fondest 
affections, and this without the customary 
warning monitions of disease. And yet 
th,ey know, O merciful and gracious Father, 
that thou hast taken it to thyself in that 
happier home, where its angel spirit is 
loved with more than human affection, 
and where it is happy in the embrace of 
that Savior's arms, who said, " Suffer lit- 
tle children to come unto me, and forbid 
them not." In this assurance may they 
now be resigned to thy blessed will, and 
like the afflicted saints of old, be disposed 
to say, " The Lord gave, and the Lord 
hath taken away ; blessed be the name 
of the Lord." And, O merciful Father, 



may this affliction be sanctified to their 
spiritual and eternal benefit. May it 
forcibly impress their minds with the un- 
certainty of life, and the all-important ne- 
cessity of at all times living prepared for 
thy coming. Sustain them by thy grace 
through this and all other trials that await 
them in this world, and dispose them to 
devote themselves heartily to thy service, 
and to live in a manner answerable to 
their Christian obligations, that so, having 
served thee faithfully in their generation, 
they may finally be privileged to join their 
little one again in glory. All which we 
humbly ask for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. 

FOR A FAMILY, OF WHICH TWO OR MORE 
ARE SICK WITH A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE. 

ALMIGHTY God, the high and 
mighty Ruler of the universe, we bless 
and adore thy holy name, that thy ways 
are not our ways ; for we know that thou 
judgest the world in righteousness, and 
that all thy doings, though to us often 
dark and mysterious, are conceived in in- 
finite wisdom and executed in mercy, de- 
i45 



signed for the spiritual elevation and eter- 
nal good of thy children. Look graciously, 
we beseech thee, O Lord, upon this 
family, on whom thine afflicting hand has 
so suddenly and heavily fallen, and so 
enlighten them with thy grace, that they 
may perceive and feel that thou doest all 
things well ; that thou hast chastened to 
correct, and that thou dost scourge the 
body only to purify the soul. May they 
realize that thou art the source of all the 
blessings of life, of health and happiness, 
and that for the enjoyment of these, they 
are daily dependent upon thy boundless 
mercy and love. And now cause them, 
O Lord, all to look to thee in prayer, peni- 
tence, and faith, for assistance and conso- 
lation in this their time of need. O, may 
it please thee to stay the progress of dis- 
ease in their midst, — to protect the other 
members of the family from its contagion. 
And as for those who are now suffering 
under its ravaging power, we pray thee, O 
God, speedily to mitigate their pains, and 
to bless with success the means used for 
their recovery, that, being restored again 
146 



to health, they may bless and praise thy 
holy name for thy goodness, and glorify 
thee, their Deliverer. But above all, we en- 
treat thee, heavenly Father, to pardon and 
forgive their sins, to heal their souls, and 
to create in them clean hearts — hearts that 
shall glow with Christian purity and love, 
and be fit temples for the indwelling of thy 
blessed Spirit. Kindly bestow thy grace 
upon them, that they may not murmur or 
repine under this trying dispensation of 
thy providence. And shouldest thou in 
thy wisdom see fit soon to remove them 
from this world, O, prepare them for the 
solemn hour of departure ; sustain them 
by thy grace, that they may welcome the 
grave as the door of heaven, and take 
them to thyself, there to sing thy praises 
in heaven forever. All which we ask 
through the merits of the atoning blood of 
our blessed Lord and Redeemer. Amen. 

A PRAYER WITH A FAMILY. 

OLORD God, the God of all the fam-' 
ilies of the earth, who hast privileged 
us to draw nigh to thee at all times and in 

147 



all places, we bow down before thee at 
this time, to offer unto thee our prayers 
and praises. 

Thy gracious promise is that where two 
or three are gathered together in thy name, 
thou wilt be in the midst of them. Fulfill 
now, we pray thee, this thy promise in re- 
gard to us. Be now in the midst of us, to 
hear and answer us. 

Accept, we pray thee, Lord, our grate- 
ful thanks for all the blessings we enjoy at 
thy hand. We bless thee for our creation 
and preservation, for our food and rai- 
ment, our private and public blessings, the 
means of grace, and the hope of glory. 
And we pray thee to give us such a sense 
of thy mercies that our hearts at all times 
may be unfeignedly thankful, and that we 
may show forth our gratitude, not only with 
our lips, but in our lives, by an humble, 
holy, and obedient walking before thee all 
our days, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

May it please thee, O Lord, to continue 

to us the exercise of thy providential care 

and goodness. Grant unto us, we pray 

thee, all things needful, both for our souls 

148 



and bodies. Be merciful to us, and for- 
give us all our sins. Fill us with thy 
heavenly grace and benediction, that we 
may truly love, serve, and please thee, and 
evermore rejoice in thy holy comfort. 
Keep us safe under thy almighty protec- 
tion, and especially from all sin and wick- 
edness. And help us, O Lord, to see thy 
hand, and to own thy providence in all our 
concerns, and with great thankfulness of 
heart to trace up every stream of earthly 
comfort to thee, the Fountain of eternal 
love. 

Prepare us all, we pray thee, for the 
world to come. Create in us those holy 
and heavenly desires and dispositions 
which will fit us for the society and enjoy- 
ment of thy holy angels, and of the spirits 
of the just made perfect. Amen. 

We further pray thee to bless all our re- 
lations and friends, thy church, this coun- 
try, and the world at large. Have mercy 
especially on all who are in pain, sickness, 
or any other adversity. Do thou lighten 
their troubles, and support them with thy 
heavenly grace. 

149 



Finally, we pray thee to bless this fami- 
ly. Bless them with every good thing, 
spiritual and temporal. Especially bless 
them in their souls. May they all be 
savingly interested in the blood of Jesus. 
May they all be rich in faith, and heirs of 
thy kingdom. May their habitation be the 
abode of peace, of happiness, and of love. 
May it always be a house of prayer ; and 
from its domestic altar may the incense of 
prayer and praise daily ascend with pleas- 
ing acceptance in thy sight, O thou Hearer 
of prayer. 

And may it please thee to bless their 
children also. May they have grace to re- 
member thee their Creator in the days of 
their youth. Purify their hearts and sane 
tify their affections, that they may grow 
up in thy fear and service. And as 
they grow in stature, may they grow in 
grace and wisdom, and in favor with 
thee and man, and thus become or- 
naments of thy holy religion. Graft in 
their hearts the love of thy name, increase 
in them true religion, nourish them with 
all goodness, and of thy great mercy keep 
150 



them in the same, that so in the end they 
may obtain everlasting life, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. All which we ask, &c. 

ANOTHER PRAYER WITH A FAMILY. 

ALMIGHTY God, from whose bounti- 
ful hand all our temporal comforts and 
spiritual blessings proceed, while we bow 
in thy presence with this family to invoke 
thy blessing, fulfill unto us, we pray thee, 
thy gracious promise, that " where two or 
three are gathered together in thy name, 
thou wilt be in their midst." 

Let thy Holy Spirit, O God, descend 
abundantly upon us, and so influence our 
hearts that, rejoicing in the fullness of thy 
love, we may renewedly, in sincerity of 
faith and devotedness of purpose, conse- 
crate ourselves to thee and thy service, as 
the high and holy object of our adoration, 
in obedience to whose ways we shall de- 
light to walk forevermore. 

We thank thee, heavenly Father, for thy 

redeeming grace so mercifully extended 

unto us, and we pray thee to prepare our 

hearts for its reception in the abundance 

151 



of its fullness. Pardon all our past trans- 
gressions, and forgive us that we have not 
been more dutiful and grateful than we 
have, for the manifold blessings we have 
enjoyed at thy hand. O Lord, how great 
is the sum of them ! We cannot reckon 
them. Accept, we beseech thee, our 
grateful thanks and acknowledgements. 

Let thy blessing, O Lord, descend upon 
all the members of this family. Bless 
them with every good thing, spiritual and 
temporal. Especially we pray thee to im- 
part unto them individually that grace 
which they respectively need, that they 
may be happy in thy service, and in the 
blessed influences of thy Holy Spirit. 
Join all their hearts together in the union 
of love and holiness, that they may exem- 
plify the beauty and purity of the religion 
of their Savior, by dwelling together in 
peace, harmony, and affection, and thus 
manifest that they are thy true disciples. 
May they properly appreciate, too, and 
duly improve, the great civil and religious 
advantages they enjoy ; seeing that " the 
lines have fallen unto them in pleasant 



places," and that they live in a land of 
civil and religious freedom, on which the 
Sun of Righteousness doth brightly shine, 
and that abounds with the multiplied 
manifestations of thy love and favor. O, 
may they all have grace to manifest their 
gratitude for these and every other bless- 
ing they enjoy, by lives of humble and 
holy obedience to thy blessed will • and 
when their days are numbered upon earth, 
may they be received by thee in thy heav- 
enly kingdom as good and faithful ser- 
vants, there to be reunited in those en- 
dearing bonds which death had sundered, 
and to enjoy the beatific vision of thy 
presence forever and ever. Grant all 
these petitions, O Father, for Jesus Christ's 
sake. Amen. 

FOR A SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHOLAR, SICK AND 
IN GREAT PAIN. 

OTHOU who temperest the wind to 
the shorn lamb, and who dost regard 
the young raven's cry, hear thou our 
prayers, we earnestly implore thee, for this 
little one in distress. May it please thee, 
*53 



in thy tender mercy, to mitigate the pains 
of its body, and to soothe its gentle spirit 
to the quietness of repose. Grant unto it 
refreshing sleep, that it may be endued 
with strength sufficient to withstand the 
wasting power of its disease. 

And in submission to thy will, we pray 
thee to bless with success the means used 
for its recovery, that it may be speedily 
relieved from all its sufferings, and restored 
again to health, to the joy and comfort of 
its parents ; that its days, precious in thy 
sight, may be many and useful, devoted 
to thy service in the promotion of good 
works, and crowned with thy love. 

But if it be thy will to take it soon from 
this world of sin, sickness, and sorrow, O, 
be pleased to prepare it for death, and for 
heaven ; wash away all the sins of its ten- 
der years, and take it in mercy to thyself, 
there in happiness to praise thee, its deliv- 
erer, blessed forevermore. 

Let thy blessing rest upon this family • 
give them each a spirit of resignation to 
thy will, in the issues of this present af- 
fliction. Assist them to put their trust 
i54 



always in thee ; to love and to serve thee 
faithfully on earth, that they may be pre- 
pared to die in peace, and in the trium- 
phant hope of a blessed immortality with 
thee and thine, through Jesus Christ our 
Lord, through whose merits and interces- 
sion we pray thee to grant these our pe- 
titions. Amen. 

FOR A SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHOLAR IN A PRO- 
TRACTED ILLNESS, WITH SLIGHT HOPES 
OF RECOVERY. 

OTHOU God of all grace and comfort 
in affliction, we would bow before thee 
in meekness and submission to thy holy 
will, while we implore thy gracious assist- 
ance and blessing in behalf of this thy 
young servant. Long hath he been pros- 
trated upon a bed of surf ering and bodily 
pain, and we pray that it may please thee 
soon to restore him to health, and to the 
enjoyment of the society of his friends, 
and to the blessed privileges of the means 
of grace, and the Sabbath school, in which 
his heart hath so often delighted. 
i55 



We praise thee, heavenly Father, for the 
measure of thy grace in mercy bestowed 
upon him, enabling him thus long to en- 
dure his affliction without murmuring or 
repining. And O, may it be still further 
blessed and sanctified to the salvation of 
his soul. May his hope and his faith in 
Christ daily increase in strength and 
brightness, filling his heart with love to 
thee, knowing that all his sufferings here in 
this world are permitted for the good of 
his soul. And if it be thy will soon to re- 
move him hence, O, may he depart in 
peace ; ma> he t nter the dark valley re- 
joicing in thy salvation, realizing that his 
sins have all been forgiven ; and that in 
dying, he is but going home to the blessed 
mansions of his Redeemer, prepared for 
those who love their Savior, and are obe- 
dient to his holy will. 

We now commend him to thy fatherly 
care and keeping, believing that thou wilt 
hear and answer his and our prayers, so 
far as is consistent with thy purposes, and 
that in the issue of this affliction thou wilt 
do all things well. 

156 



All which we ask through the merits and 
atonement of Christ our Lord and Savior. 
Amen. 

FOR A SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHOLAR IN PAIN, 
WHO HAS RECENTLY MET WITH A SEVERE 
ACCIDENT. 

OTHOU whose ways are past rinding 
out, our Preserver and Benefactor, 
we earnestly crave thy blessing upon this 
family, and especially upon this suffering 
child, so suddenly prostrated upon a bed 
of pain. We bless and praise thee, that 
in the time of danger thou wast near, that 
thine arm was there to interpose, and that 
his life is still spared. May this accident 
deeply impress upon all our minds that we 
dwell in the midst of dangers ; that we are 
shielded and upheld through thy mercy 
alone, and that there is no safety but in 
thy love and gracious care. May it teach 
us the all-important necessity to live daily 
and hourly in a state of preparation for 
death ; that, if suddenly removed from 
life, we may not be cut off in our sins 
without hope in Christ, and with the hor- 



ror and the woe of the second death be- 
fore us. O, by thy grace, cause this acci- 
dent, we pray thee, to be a very blessing 
to each member of this family ; may it 
turn their hearts to thee in repentance for 
their sins, in prayer for thy abiding pro- 
tection, and in gratitude for thy kindness 
and mercy. 

Be pleased, O most merciful and gra- 
cious Father, to command thy blessing 
specially upon this sufferer ; cause him to 
pray to thee for thy pardoning favor, for- 
give him his sins, comfort and soothe him 
in his affliction, spare him from the sever- 
ities of pain, and, if consistent with thy 
designs in regard to him, restore him 
speedily to his former health, so blessed 
and improved by thy grace in his heart, 
that he may rejoice that he has been af- 
flicted. 

As respects this family, may it please 
thee, O Lord, ever to bless and guard 
them in mercy ; lead them in the paths of 
duty and holiness, that they may diligently 
serve thee in life ; and after death, saved 
by thy grace, through the blood of the 
158 



atonement, be all permitted to assemble 
at thy right hand, there to praise thee, 
their God and their Redeemer, forever 
and ever. Amen. 

FOR A PERSON WHO IS VERY SICK. 

ALMIGHTY God, the help of all 
who put their trust in thee, and the 
relief of the needy, hear us, we pray thee, 
in behalf of this thy sick servant. Look 
upon him, we pray thee, with thy tenderest 
pity and compassion, and be gracious and 
favorable to him according to the multi- 
tude of thy tender mercies in Christ Jesus. 
In submission to thy will, we pray 
thee, O Lord, to abate his distemper, to 
ease his pains, and to bless the means that 
are used for his recovery. Thou only, O 
Lord, canst effectually remove his malady; 
be pleased, then, we pray thee, to do so. 
And Lord, lay not more upon him than 
thou wilt enable him to bear. Consider 
his weakness, and proportion thy grace 
to his necessities, that he may endure this 
sickness with patience and resignation to 
thy blessed will. Give him ease and 

159 



comfort under his sufferings ; hear his 
complaints, and in thy good time re- 
move the cause of them. But, O God, 
should it be thy will that this sickness 
should be his last sickness, grant that it 
may be an effectual preparation for a joy- 
ful admission into thy kingdom above. 
Wash and cleanse his soul from all its de- 
filements in the blood of thy dear Son. 
Grant unto him a true and unfeigned re- 
pentance of all his sins, and an assured 
interest in the blood of Jesus. And take 
from him, O God, the fear and sorrow of 
death, and let thy rod and thy staff sup- 
port him in his passage through the dark 
valley. Grant him strength to withstand 
all the assaults of Satan, and the powers 
of darkness. Keep his senses entire, and 
his understanding right; may he have a 
lively faith, a well-grounded hope, and an 
abundant charity ; grant unto him an easy 
and comfortable departure; may holy 
angels take his soul to paradise, there to 
await with certainty his perfect consum- 
mation and bliss in thy everlasting king- 
dom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

160 



We intercede with thee, heavenly Fa- 
ther, for all those who are in sorrow, sick- 
ness, or any kind of trouble. Give them 
the consolations which thou alone canst 
bestow. Put in their hearts a holy trust 
in thee, and a sure hope in thy promises. 
And may those who are encompassed with 
infirmities, and who feel that their out- 
ward man is perishing, be strengthened 
with might by thy Spirit in the inner man, 
so that their light affliction, which is but 
for a moment, may work out for them a 
far more exceeding and eternal weight of 
glory. All which we ask, &c. 

FOR ONE VERY ILL. 

OTHOU Father of mercies, and God 
of all comfort, who art the hope of 
all who put their trust in thee, look with 
pity, we beseech thee, upon this thy sick 
servant. Be very gracious unto him, and 
vouchsafe unto him such strength and 
consolation as his case requires. Con- 
sider his weariness, which calls aloud for 
rest, and his weakness, which greatly 
needs refreshment. Grant unto him, 
161 



therefore, whatever thou seest needful, 
both for his soul and body. Endue his 
mind with patience under his affliction, 
and with resignation to thy blessed will ; 
comfort him with a sense of thy goodness, 
lift upon him the light of thy countenance, 
and give him peace. Cause him to know 
the truth of thy promises, the tenderness 
of thy care, and the support and conso- 
lations of thy grace. 

And should it be thy will, O God, that 
this sickness should result in death, so fit 
and prepare him for it, we pray thee, that 
he may die the death of the righteous, 
and his last end be peaceful and blessed. 
May it be the blessed instrument in thy 
hand for purifying his soul, and for making 
him meet for thy heavenly kingdom. 
Work in him and do for him whatever 
thou seest needful for his spiritual and 
eternal interests. And when he passes 
through the valley of the shadow of death, 
do thou, O blessed Savior, be with him, 
to comfort and support him. Defend him 
from his spiritual enemies, and cheer and 
sustain him in all his agonies, weaknesses, 
162 



and temptations. And when he leaves 
this world, O God, receive him to thyself, 
in that blessed place where there is no 
more sickness or sorrow, and where tears 
are wiped away from all faces ; where 
thou, O Lord, wilt be the joy of thy peo- 
ple, and the days of their mourning shall 
be ended. 

We commend to thy fatherly care all 
the poor, the sick, the needy, and the 
afflicted. Make all their troubles and 
trials to work together for their present 
and eternal good, through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. 

And when the days of their pilgrimage 
draw to a close, and the time of their de- 
parture is at hand, may they and we be 
enabled individually to say, " Lord, now 
let thy servant depart in peace, for mine 
eyes have seen thy salvation." 

And in the mean time, may we be 
steadfast and immovable, and always 
abound in the work of the Lord, knowing 
assuredly that our labor shall not be in 
vain in the Lord. Grant all these, &c. 

163 



A SECOND, FOR ONE VERY ILL. 

WE bow down before thee, O Lord of 
heaven and earth, acknowledging 
that we are but dust, and unworthy to 
speak to thee, either for ourselves or 
others. For Christ's sake, we pray thee 
to grant the petitions which we now ask. 
We humbly implore thy tender com- 
passion for this our sick friend, who de- 
sires our prayers. Gracious God, look 
down upon him with pity, and support him 
under thy afflicting hand. Work in him 
true repentance for all the sins he hath 
committed against thee, in thought, word, 
and deed. Give him a lively and stead- 
fast faith in Christ Jesus ; fill him with a 
lively hope of that immortal life which 
Christ hath purchased and promised to all 
true believers ; fill him with a powerful 
sense of thy fatherly love and watchful 
care over him in the most afflicted condi- 
tion. Bestow upon him thy heavenly sup- 
ports and comforts, and give him patience 
and submission to thy holy will during this 
visitation of sickness. 
164 



We know, O Lord, that with thee 
there is nothing impossible. If thou wilt 
thou canst raise him up, and grant him 
a longer continuance in this world. May 
it be thy gracious pleasure to restore 
him to us. May it please thee to save 
and deliver him for thy goodness' sake, O 
Lord. Direct and bless the means which 
may be used for his recovery, and make 
them effectual. Command the disease to 
leave him, and restore him to health and 
usefulness. And in the mean time, help 
him. meekly to resign himself to thy dis- 
posal, and quietly to wait for ease and 
comfort here, and for everlasting rest and 
happiness in a future state, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 

FOR ONE DANGEROUSLY ILL. 

OLORD God, who ordereth all things 
in heaven and earth, and with whom 
alone are the issues of life and death ; we 
come unto thee as our only help in time of 
need, humbly to supplicate thee in behalf 
of this person here lying in great weakness 
of body under thy afflicting hand. Look 
165 



graciously and favorably upon him, 
Lord, and vouchsafe unto him that assist- 
ance which his case requires. We know, 
O Lord, that if thou wilt thou canst raise 
him up, and heal his infirmities. And in 
submission to thy will, we pray thee that 
thou wilt do so. Spare him, we beseech 
thee, heavenly Father, and grant him a 
longer continuance in this world. Mani- 
fest thy power and thy goodness in raising 
him from this bed of sickness, in prolong- 
ing his days, and in making him a monu- 
ment of thy saving mercy in Christ Jesus. 
But, O God, should it be thy will that 
this sickness should result in death, do 
thou so prepare him for it, that he may 
meet it with fortitude and firmness. May 
all his sins be washed away in the blood of 
Jesus, and may he have an assured inter- 
est in his merits. Grant that he may look 
upon death as a conquered enemy, and 
not be terrified at his approach. Do thou, 
O blessed Jesus, be with him, and make 
him to know and feel that thou art at 
peace with him, and that thou wilt con- 
duct him in safety to thy kingdom of 
166 



glory And may this thought not only 
cheer and sustain him in whatever suffer- 
ings he may yet endure, but cause him to 
rejoice in the hope and prospects of eter- 
nal happiness. And in the mean time, 
may he so endeavor to improve the time 
which thou shalt yet allow him, that he may 
daily become purer in thy sight, and more 
meet for thy presence hereafter. And 
when he dies, may he die supported with 
the consolations of the gospel, and have 
an abundant entrance ministered to him 
in thy eternal and everlasting kingdom, 
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord and 
Savior. 

Look graciously, O Lord, upon this 
family, and sanctify this sickness to their 
good. Awakened by this visitation to a 
deep sense of the one thing needful, may 
their thoughts and hopes be raised to thee. 
May they not faint under thy fatherly cor- 
rection, nor be weary of thy rebuke, but 
may they endeavor to improve the same 
to the salvation of their souls. Let thy 
Holy Spirit and thy blessing descend upon 
them ; and do thou, O God, so lead them 
167 



through this world of sin and sorrow, that 
finally they too may attain to everlasting 
happiness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 

ANOTHER FOR ONE DANGEROUSLY ILL. 

OLORD, our only help in time of 
need, we bow down before thee in 
this time of sore distress, most earnestly 
to supplicate thy gracious aid and blessing 
in behalf of this our sick friend. O, look 
upon him, we pray thee, with thy tender- 
est pity and compassion, and vouchsafe 
unto him that relief both for his soul and 
body which his case requires. O Lord, 
take him not hence, we pray thee, but 
spare him, good Lord, and restore him 
again to health, and to the comfort and 
society of his friends and relatives. Glad- 
den our hearts by granting him a longer 
continuance in this world, and so fill us 
with joy and gratitude. May he be spared 
to live a life of usefulness in his genera- 
tion, and to promote thy honor and glory. 
But whatever may be the issue of this 
sickness, O God, may it be abundantly 
168 



sanctified to his good. Freely forgive him 
all his sins ; cheer and comfort his soul 
with the consolation of thy Holy Spirit, 
and cause it to glow with gratitude and 
love for thy mercies towards him. And O, 
may he triumph in that faith which feels 
its sins forgiven, and knows that its Re- 
deemer liveth. May he be effectually 
sprinkled with the blood of the atone- 
ment, and so be made pure and spotless 
in thy sight, and be adorned with all holy 
and heavenly graces, that in the last day 
he may appear as a beautiful gem in the 
crown of his blessed Redeemer. O Lord, 
prepare him for whatever in thy good 
pleasure thou mayest see fit to order in 
regard to him. And should it be thy will 
to take him soon from this world of sor- 
row and trouble, grant that his mind may 
be meekly resigned to the dispensation. 
Prepare him for it, O Lord ; be with him 
in his last agonies, and make his dying 
hour peaceful and easy. And when his 
soul quits its earthly tenement, may holy 
angels conduct it in triumph to the habi- 
tations of glory, there to be welcomed to 
169 



thy blissful presence, and to live and 
reign with thee forever and ever. Amen. 

FOR ONE VERY SICK, THAT HE MAY BE RE- 
SIGNED TO DIE. 

OMOST gracious and merciful Father, 
grant, we beseech thee, that this thy 
sick servant may be always ready to obey 
thy summons, whenever thou shalt see fit 
to call him hence. Forgive him all his 
sins, and let him come to his great change 
without guilt and without fear. May he 
always be ready, in humble confidence in 
thy mercy, for the hour of his departure. 
Enable him, O God, to regard death as a 
happy release from all the weaknesses and 
sorrows, the troubles and trials, of this 
mortal life. Manifest thyself unto him as 
thou dost not unto the world, and give 
him a taste of thy glory, and of those joys 
which thou hast prepared for the righteous 
hereafter. Cause him to rejoice in a sense 
of thy pardoning mercy here, and the 
promise of thy everlasting favor in the 
world to come. And give him an unwa- 
vering faith and a comfortable hope in the 
170 



full and perfect sacrifice which was made 
on the cross for the atonement of sin, and 
grant that he may pass through the grave 
and gate of death to a joyful resurrection, 
for his merits who died and was buried, 
and rose again for us ; thy Son Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 

FOR A DUE PREPARATION FOR DEATH. 

ALMIGHTY God, who hast made 
death the necessary passage to eternal 
life, and who hath required that we should 
regard this life as but a season of prepara- 
tion for the next ; grant, we pray thee, 
unto this thy servant, that he may so 
profitably improve his present sickness, 
that, when the time of his dissolution 
draws nigh, he may be fully prepared for 
the solemn event, and, in the full confi- 
dence of a certain hope, yield up his soul 
into thy hand, as into the hand of a faith- 
ful Creator and most merciful Savior. In- 
struct and assist him in the great work of 
preparation for his dying hour, that he 
may be enabled to meet it with Christ- 
ian calmness and composure, and with 
171 



becoming fortitude of mind. And may 
he be able, with the assistance of thy 
Holy Spirit, so effectually to accom- 
plish this work as to be fitted for heaven 
ere he leaves this earth, and to have an 
assured sense of thy reconciled love and 
favor towards him. And when the period 
of his dissolution draws near, may he 
calmly resign himself to thy will in a firm 
faith and well-grounded hope, with a true 
and sincere repentance, in favor with thee 
our God, and in perfect charity with the 
world. 

And in that solemn hour do thou, O 
God, comfort and support him. Be with 
him in his passage through the dark val- 
ley, and grant him that assistance which 
he may stand in need of. Support him in 
his last agonies, defend him from his 
spiritual enemies, and let nothing be able 
to terrify or discompose his soul. And 
when his spirit quits its earthly tenement, 
may it be received by holy angels, and 
conveyed in safety to the mansions of rest 
and peace, there to live with thee in life 
everlasting, through the merits and for the 
172 



sake of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. 
We commend to thy grace and protec- 
tion all the sick and afflicted. May their 
repentance be perfect, their faith strong, 
their love fervent, and their hope steadfast, 
that so they also may at last be gathered, 
with all thy faithful, to the mansions of 
everlasting bliss. For Jesus Christ's sake, 
we ask all these petitions. Amen. 

A PRAYER WITH ONE WHO HAS THOUGHTS 
OF BEING BAPTIZED. 

MOST merciful Father, who, by thy 
tender love to mankind, didst give 
thine only Son to die for them, and who 
hast graciously assured us that thou art 
now willing to receive all who come unto 
thee, favorably regard, we pray thee, this 
person here present before thee, who is 
desirous to avail himself of the appointed 
means of salvation ; and who is somewhat 
disposed to receive the ordinance of bap- 
tism, but who is deterred from doing so 
by a deep sense of guilt and un worthiness. 
Have mercy upon him, O Lord, and 
vouchsafe unto him such a lively sense of 
i73 



thy fatherly love and goodness, and of thy 
willingness to embrace in thine arms of 
mercy every sincere penitent, however un- 
worthy he may feel, as will induce him to 
approach thee in confidence, and receive 
the ordinance to his spiritual and eternal 
benefit. 

O Lord, let thy Holy Spirit descend 
upon him, and so enlighten his mind, that 
he may have a right perception and un- 
derstanding of his privileges in relation to 
this matter. 

Teach him, O God, that the dispensa- 
tion of the gospel is a dispensation of love 
and mercy ; that its end and design is to 
save sinners, those who are sensible of 
their sins ; and that the most unworthy 
are freely welcome to avail themselves of 
the glorious privilege, upon condition 
simply that they repent of their sins, exer- 
cise faith in thee, and are sincerely desir- 
ous to love and serve thee. Grant that 
the feeling of un worthiness, instead of de- 
terring, may rather encourage him to come 
to thee, — seeing that thou hast specially 
invited such to come — those who are bur- 
174 



dened with the weight of their sins, and 
hast graciously assured us, that " whosoever 
cometh unto thee, thou wilt in nowise cast 
out." 

Lord, let him no longer abstain from 
availing himself of his inestimable privi- 
lege ; but grant that he may immediately 
prepare himself for this solemn act, by re- 
penting of his sins and imploring those 
heavenly aids which thou hast promised to 
bestow on all who ask them. Hear and 
answer all the prayers that he may make 
unto thee, and bestow upon him plenti- 
fully the enlightening and sanctifying in 
fluences of thy Holy Spirit. What he 
knows not, teach him, and what he knows, 
enable him to practice. Pardon all his 
past sins, and create in him a clean heart 
and a right spirit. Yea, increase in him, 
O God, the good seed of thy grace, which 
thou hast already sown in his heart, and 
grant that it may bring forth much fruit to 
perfection. We ask all, &c. 



i75 



A PRAYER WITH ONE WHO DESIRES BAP- 
TISM. 

MOST merciful and gracious Father, 
who art ever ready to receive those 
who come unto thee in penitence and 
faith, look graciously upon this thy servant, 
who is disposed to dedicate himself to thy 
service in baptism, and to live to thy 
honor and glory. Under a deep sense of 
his unworthiness, he would now humbly 
implore the forgiveness of all his sins, and 
grace to enable him henceforth to live 
agreeably to thy word and will. Where- 
fore, we pray thee to grant upon him free 
and full forgiveness, and a lively faith in 
thy Son Jesus Christ. Create in him a 
clean heart also, and renew a right spirit 
within him. Pour down upon him the 
abundant influence of thy Holy Spirit, 
and so sanctify his heart and renew his 
mind, that he may be a worthy partaker 
of that holy ordinance. And when he re- 
ceives the same, may he receive the 
promised remission of all his sins, and a 
saving interest in all the blessings of the 
176 



covenant of grace in Christ Jesus. And 
humbly we beseech thee to grant, that he, 
being dead to sin, and living unto right- 
eousness, and being buried with Christ in 
his death, may crucify the old man, and 
utterly abolish the whole body of sin, so 
that all sinful affections may die in him, 
and all things belonging to the Spirit may 
live and grow in him. 

Be thou, O Lord, a gracious Father to 
him, and cause him to take great delight 
in thee and thy service. May he find the 
ways of religion to be ways of pleasantness, 
and its paths peace. Let thy Holy Spirit 
be ever with him to guide and govern him 
in all his ways. And when he shall have 
served thee in his generation, may he be 
gathered to his fathers with the testimony 
of a good conscience, in the communion 
of the church, in the confidence of a cer- 
tain faith, in the comfort of a reasonable, 
religious, and holy hope, in favor with thee 
our God, and in perfect charity with the 
world. All which we ask, &c. 



177 



A PRAYER WITH A BAPTIZED PERSON, IN RE- 
LATION TO THE LORD'S SUPPER. 

BLESSED Lord, who art always ready 
to hear the prayers of those who call 
upon thee, be pleased to accept the peti- 
tions which we now ask of thee ; and 
grant that those things which we ask 
faithfully may be obtained effectually, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

We thank thee, O Lord, that thou hast 
not only given thy Son Jesus Christ to die 
for us, but to be our spiritual food and 
sustenance in the holy sacrament of his 
body and blood. May it please thee, O 
Lord, to prepare the heart of this person 
for a proper participation of the same. 
Grant unto him a truly penitent and con- 
trite heart, and free and full forgiveness of 
all his sins. Teach him to consider the 
dignity of that holy mystery, and so to 
search and examine his conscience, that he 
may come holy and clean to this sacred 
feast, and be received by thee as a worthy 
partaker thereof. And when he partakes 
of the sacred emblems, may he so partake 
178 



of them as to derive the full benefit of this 
hallowed ordinance to his soul. May he 
dwell in Christ, and Christ in him. And 
may his body, which was given for him, 
and his blood, which was shed for him, 
preserve his body and soul to life everlast- 
ing. 

And to all thy people grant the same 
blessings. May they all feel and know, 
that, though many, they are but one body, 
and all partakers of that one bread — the 
living and true bread, which came down 
from heaven. And by this sacred com- 
munion on earth, may they all be made 
more meet for thy heavenly mansions, and 
at length be privileged to sit down togeth- 
er with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the 
kingdom of heaven — in that blessed place 
where faith shall be lost in sight, and hope 
in full enjoyment, and love forever fill 
their souls, through Jesus Christ our Sav- 
ior. Amen. 

FOR A DYING MAN, PAST HOPE OF RE- 
COVERY. 

FATHER of mercies, and God of all 
comfort, our only help in time of - 
179 







need, and to whom alone belong the is- 
sues of life and death, we come unto thee 
in behalf of this person, whose life now 
appears to be fast drawing to a close. We 
know, O Lord, that with thee all things 
are possible ; that thou canst bring back 
from the mouth of the grave and quicken 
the very dead ; and we pray thee, if thou 
seest good, thou wilt thus do in regard to 
this person. But, O God, thy will be 
done. Yet, should it please thee that 
this sickness shall be his last sickness, 
take him not from this world, we pray 
thee, till he is prepared for a better. 
Freely and fully forgive him all his sins, 
for Christ's sake. Grant that he may be 
interested in all the benefits of his salva- 
tion. Bestow upon him whatever thou 
seest necessary, both for his soul and 
body. And when his dying hour shall 
come, leave him not, O God, but stand 
by him, and guard him from all his spiri- 
tual enemies ; give him strength and con- 
fidence in thee; keep his senses entire, 
and his understanding right ; and so com- 
fort and assist him, that he may pass 
180 



through the valley of the shadow of death 
in peace and safety, and find it the gate 
of glory, and an entrance into thy ever- 
lasting kingdom. 

Into thy hands, O merciful Father, we 
commend his soul when thou shalt see fit 
to call it hence. Let thy holy angels then 
convey it to thy presence, there to be 
united to the blessed company of the 
spirits of the just made perfect, for his 
sake who died and rose again, and is alive 
forevermore, and who has the keys of 
death and the grave. To thy mercy in 
that blessed Savior of the world we earn- 
estly commend him, beseeching thee to be 
all in all to him, and infinitely better than 
we are worthy or able to ask for him ; 
and let him be thine in life and death 
forevermore, through the all-sufficient 
mediation of thy dear Son, our most pre- 
vailing Advocate and Redeemer. 

FOR ONE DYING. 

FATHER of mercies and God of all 
comfort, our only help in time of 
need, we come unto thee for succor in be- 

1S1 



half of this thy sick (or dying) servant. 
As his outward man decayeth, strengthen 
him, we pray thee, in the inner man. In 
all the pains of his body, in all the weak- 
ness of his mind, do thou, O Lord, com- 
fort and support him. We know, O Lord, 
that with thee nothing is impossible, and 
that even yet thou canst raise him up. 
And we pray thee that thou wilt do so, if 
thou seest fit. But, forasmuch as in all 
appearance the time of his departure is at 
hand, we pray thee to do for him what- 
ever thou seest necessary for his present 
and eternal good. Of thy goodness, be 
pleased to forgive him all his sins, (and 
seal his hope of glory with the refreshment 
of the Holy Spirit.) Thou, O Lord, hast 
opened the kingdom of heaven to all be- 
lievers ; let the everlasting gates be opened 
to him, (and may the angels, who rejoice 
in the conversion of a sinner, triumph and 
be exalted in his deliverance and salva- 
tion.) Take him not from this world be- 
fore he is fitted to leave it. Finish all that 
is wanting in the work of thy grace upon 
his heart, and supply all his need, accord- 
182 



ing to thy riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 
Be very merciful to him, O Lord, and re- 
ceive his soul into thy hands when it leaves 
its mortal tenement. Let thy holy angels 
convey it to the paradise of God, and 
there may it be joined to the spirits of the 
just made perfect, and evermore rejoice 
with them in that happiness which thou 
hast in reserve for them who love and fear 
thee. And to the same blessed company 
may all of us one day come, for the sake 
of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

O God, whose days are without end, 
and whose mercies cannot be numbered, 
make us, at all times and under all cir- 
cumstances, duly sensible of the shortness 
and uncertainty of human life, and of the 
transitory nature of all earthly things. 
Thou hast made, as it were, our days as a 
span long, and our age is even as nothing 
in respect to thee; and verily, every man 
living is altogether vanity. So teach us to 
number our days, that we may apply our 
hearts to wisdom. Guide and direct us 
by thy powerful hand as we pass through 
this vale of misery, that so we may serve 
1S3 



thee in righteousness and holiness all the 
days of our life ; that when our probation 
shall be brought to a close, we may be 
gathered in peace to our fathers, having 
the testimony of a good conscience, the 
witness of thy Spirit that we are thy chil- 
dren, in the communion of the saints, in 
the confidence of a living faith, in the 
comfort of a reasonable, religious hope, 
in favor with thee our God, and in perfect 
charity with the world. All which we ask 
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 

FOR ONE PAST HOPE OF RECOVERY. 

OTHOU help of Israel, and the Savior 
thereof; in the time of trouble, 
when all other hope or help fails, to thee 
we come for succor and consolation in 
this our time of need. Look graciously, 
we pray thee, upon this thy dying servant ; 
and support, comfort, and assist him in 
this his extremity. Stand by him, we pray 
thee, and shield him from his spiritual 
enemies. Vouchsafe unto him whatever 
thou seest needful, both for his soul and 
184 



body. Pardon all his sins, and prepare 
him to appear with comfort and rejoicing 
in thy blessed presence. O, make his de- 
parture easy, and full of peace and hope; 
carry him safely through the dark passage 
upon which he is entering, and let him find 
it the gate of glory, and an access into the 
everlasting kingdom and joy of the Lord. 
Be merciful unto him, O Lord, we pray 
thee, and when he is numbered among 
the dead, let him also be numbered among 
the blessed of the Lord, for his sake who 
died for sinners, and rose again, Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 

FOR A DYING PERSON. 

OHOLY and most merciful Savior, 
who by thy death hast overcome 
death, and by thy passion taken away its 
sting, and made the grave the gate of 
everlasting life, have mercy upon this thy 
servant, whose life appears to be drawing 
to a close. Mercifully forgive him all his 
sins, and make him to know arid feel that 
thou art perfectly at peace with him, and 
that thou wilt receive him into thy heav- 
185 



enly kingdom. Lift upon him, O Lord, 
the light of thy countenance, and cheer his 
heart with the tokens of thy love and 
favor. And may thy holy angels, we pray 
thee, watch around his dying bed, and de- 
fend him from his spiritual enemies. Yea, 
do thou thyself, O God, strengthen and 
support him in all his agonies, and carry 
him safely through his last illness. O 
God, let not his faith falter, nor his hope 
fail, nor his soul be affrighted ; but do thou 
preserve, guard, and keep him. And 
when his soul quits his body, may it be 
conveyed by thy holy angels in safety to 
the mansions of rest and peace, there to 
live with thee in life everlasting. All which 
we ask, &c. 

The following may be used with some of the pre- 
ceding Prayers, when there appears but little 
hope of recovery. 

OLORD God, we beseech thee to 
succor this thy servant, now lan- 
guishing under great weakness of body. 
For Jesus Christ's sake, pardon all his 
sins, perfect his repentance, grant that he 
186 



may come to his great change without 
guilt and without terror. Be very merci- 
ful to him, and grant him whatever thou 
seest needful, both for his soul and body. 
Hear his prayers, and the prayers of all 
his friends for him; support him in his 
dy ; ng agonies strengthen him in his weak- 
nesses, deliver him from his spiritual ad- 
versaries, and grant him all that he needs 
in this his last sickness. O, let not his 
faith waver, nor his hope fail ; but may he 
die in peace, rest in hope, and have his 
portion with patriarchs and prophets, with 
apostles and martyrs, and with all thy 
holy saints, in the bosom of felicity, and 
in thy kingdom forever. Amen. 

The following maybe added either separately or 
entire. 

LORD, his heart and his strength fail- 
eth ; be thou the strength of his 
heart, and his portion forever. 

Grant, Lord, that he may depart in 
peace ■ that he may see thy salvation, and 
that death may be swallowed up in vic- 
tory. Lord Jesus, receive his spirit into 
187 



thy kingdom ; this day, — if it be thy will 
that it be released, — this day may he be 
with thee in paradise 

Into thy hand, O merciful Savior, we 
commend his departing spirit ; may angels 
carry it into thy heavenly presence, there 
to be joined to the general assembly of 
the just made perfect ; and to the same 
blessed company may all of us one day 
come, for thy mercies' sake, O Lord God. 

MAY God the Father who hath created 
thee, God the Son who hath re- 
deemed thee, God the Holy Ghost who 
hath sanctified thee, be now thy defence, 
assist thee in this thy last trial, and take 
thee to everlasting life. 

The following can be added to some other Prayer, 
for one who is very sick. 

FINALLY, we pray thee, O Lord, to 
prepare him for the hour of his de- 
parture. Let the blood of Jesus wash 
away all his sins, and thy grace comfort 
and support his soul. Let thy mercy par- 
don and save him. Let the merits of his 
Savior answer for his iniquities, and his 



righteousness cover all his sins. Enable 
him to realize the truth of thy promises ; 
fill him with the consolations of the gospel; 
enliven his hope, and increase his charity. 
And the more the outward man decayeth, 
and the world fadeth from his sight, 
strengthen him so much the more con- 
tinually in the inner man. And grant, O 
God, that he may be ready for his de- 
parture, whenever thou seest fit ; may he 
look upon the grave as the gate of im- 
mortality, and the introduction to that 
holy, happy, unchangeable state, where in 
thy presence is fulness of joy, and where 
at thy right hand are pleasures forever- 
more. Amen. 

PRAYER TO BE USED AFTER THE DEPART- 
URE OF THE SOUL. 

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, 
seeing that it hath pleased thee to 
take this thy servant out of the miseries of 
this sinful world, unto thy heavenly king- 
dom, let thy name, O Lord, be blessed, 
both now and evermore. Make us, we 
pray thee, who remain, mindful of our 



mortality, that we may walk before thee in 
righteousness and holiness all the days of 
our life ; that when the time of our de- 
parture shall come, we may rest in thee, 
as our hope is this thy servant doth ; and 
that with him, and all others departed in 
the truth of thy holy name, we may re- 
joice together in thy everlasting and 
glorious kingdom, through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. Amen. 

A PRAYER FOR THE FAMILY OF THE DE- 
CEASED. 

MERCIFUL God and heavenly Fath- 
er, who has taught us in thy holy 
Word, that thou dost not willingly afflict 
or grieve the children of men, look down 
with pity, we beseech thee, upon the sor- 
rows of this afflicted family. In thy wis- 
dom thou hast seen fit to visit them with 
trouble, and to bring distress upon them. 
Remember them, O Lord, in mercy; 
sanctify thy fatherly correction to them ; 
endue their souls with patience under their 
affliction, and with resignation to thy 
blessed will ; comfort them with a sense 
i go 



of thy goodness ; lift upon them the light 
of thy countenance, and give them peace, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

ANOTHER PRAYER FOR THE FAMILY OF 
THE DECEASED. 

TO thee, O God of all mercy and con- 
solation, we commend this afflicted 
family. Thou art a Father of the father- 
less, and pleadest the cause of the widow. 
O, provide for and defend them ; leave 
them not, nor forsake them, O Lord God 
of our salvation. Enable them evermore 
to love and serve thee, and to put their 
whole trust and confidence in thy mercy. 
Keep them from the pollutions of the 
world, by which they would forfeit thy 
favor. Keep them in thy fear; preserve 
them from all the evils and temptations of 
this life ; and bring them at last to the 
joys and blessedness of that which is to 
come, for the sake of thy beloved Son, 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

ON THE DEATH OF A FRIEND. 

ALMIGHTY and most merciful God, 
help us now by thy grace to bear the 
191 



loss of our friend, whom thou hast now 
taken from us, with patience and resigna- 
tion, and to make a right use of the af- 
fliction which thy fatherly hand has laid 
upon us. Thou has given, and thou hast 
taken away; blessed be thy holy name. 
May we not sorrow as those without hope ; 
seeing that thou hast taught us in thy 
Word, that those who sleep in Jesus will 
God raise up in glory at the last day. 
And, O God, may the death of our friends 
help to keep us always mindful of our own 
mortality. May we have grace so to ap- 
ply our hearts to wisdom here, that we 
may hereafter, by thy mercy, be received 
into that everlasting kingdom, where all 
tears shall forever be wiped away from 
every face, and where the days of our 
mourning shall be ended. All which, &c. 

AFTER THE DEATH OF A FRIEND OR RELA- 
TIVE. 

FATHER of mercies and God of all 
comfort, out of the depths of grief 
and trouble we lift up our souls to thee. 
Thou hast taken from us one in whom we 

192 



were comforted, and to whom we were 
bound by the most affectionate ties. 
While we sorrow at the painful separation, 
O grant that no repining thought may 
arise in our minds, and no complaining 
word escape from our lips. May we make 
a wise improvement of thy dealings, and 
be persuaded to lay up the treasure of our 
affections in heaven, where there shall be 
no decay, nor sickness, nor death, nor 
sin to invade, and no sorrow to molest. 
Give us, at this time, the consolations of 
religion. 

Thou hast, in thine infinite wisdom, 
taken what thy love at first bestowed ; and 
now, with Christian submission, may we 
be able to say, " Thy name be blessed, 
and thy will be done." " In the midst of 
life we are in death." O Lord, prepare 
us for the great change of worlds; and 
may the lamp of religion be within us, 
trimmed and burning, and may we be 
ready whenever our summons may come. 

Bind more closely together the surviving 
members of this family, (or the surviving 
friends,) and may we do more than we 
193 



have done to prepare each other for the 
duties of life, and for the day of judgment. 
All which we ask, &c. 

The following may be added. 

ALMIGHTY God, with whom do live 
the spirits of those who depart hence 
in the Lord, we adore thy majesty, and 
humbly submit to thy will in all the dis- 
pensations of thy providence. We mag- 
nify thy mercy, that it hath pleased thee 
to give a happy deliverance to this our 
friend, out of the troubles and miseries of 
this sinful world. Thy counsels are se- 
cret, and thy wisdom is infinite ; with the 
same hand thou hast crowned him and 
smitten us. Thou hast taken him into 
the regions of felicity, and placed him 
among the saints and angels, and left us 
to mourn for our sins and thy displeasure. 
Lord, turn thy chastisements, we pray 
thee, into the means of our spiritual im- 
provement. And we humbly beseech thee, 
O Lord, to unite our supplications with 
the earnest desires of those holy souls who 
pray, and wait, and long for thy second 
194 



coming. Accomplish thou the numbers 
of thy elect, and fill up the mansions of 
heaven, which are prepared for all those 
who love the coming of the Lord Jesus, 
that we, with all others departed this life 
in the true faith of thy holy name, may 
have our perfect consummation and bliss 
in thy everlasting kingdom, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. 

ANOTHER, THAT MAY BE SAID AFTER THE 
DEATH OF A PERSON. 

MERCIFUL God, the Father of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, who is the first 
fruits of the resurrection from the dead, 
and who, by entering into glory, hath 
opened the kingdom of heaven to all be- 
lievers ; we humbly pray thee to raise us 
from the death of sin to the life of right- 
eousness, that, being partakers of the 
death of Christ, and followers of his holy 
life, we may be partakers of his Spirit, 
and of his glorious promises; and that, 
when we shall depart this life, we may rest 
in him, as our hope is that this our brother 
doth. O, suffer us not for any temptation 
i95 



of the world, or any snares of the devil, or 
any pains of death, to fall from thee. 
Lord, let thy Holy Spirit enable us with 
his grace to fight a good fight with perse- 
verance, to finish our course with holiness, 
and to keep the faith with constancy to the 
end j that at the day of judgment we may 
stand at the right hand of thy throne, and 
hear the joyful sentence, "Come, ye 
blessed children of my Father, receive the 
kingdom prepared for you from the be- 
ginning of the world." Grant these peti- 
tions, &c. 

APTER THE DEATH OF A NEIGHBOR. 

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, in 
whose sight a thousand years are 
but as yesterday, and as a watch in the 
night, be thou the support of thy servants, 
who are now mourning the loss of a rela- 
tive and friend. Sanctify, we beseech 
thee, this visitation of thy providence. 
May they experience the consolations 
which religion affords. By the frequent 
instances of mortality around us, may we 
learn to consider our end, and the measure 
196 



of our days what it is, that we may know 
how frail we are. Neighbor after neigh- 
bor art thou calling away; and house af- 
ter house hath witnessed the footsteps of 
death. Merciful God, give us grace to 
follow the good examples of those who 
have departed this life in thy faith and 
fear, that at length we may with them 
be partakers of thy heavenly kingdom. 
Amen. 

AFTER THE DEATH OF A CHILD, OR ON OC- 
CASION OF A FUNERAL. 

ETERNAL God, our only help in 
time of need, we now come unto thee 
for comfort and support under this afflictive 
dispensation of thy providence. In thy 
wisdom thou hast seen fit to take from us 
the beloved object of our hearts. Thou 
hast destroyed our cherished hopes, and 
filled our hearts with mourning. But, O 
Lord, we would not murmur ; we would 
endeavor to submit with holy resignation 
to thy righteous appointment. Help us 
to be thus resigned. Console our sorrows, 
we pray thee, and proportion thy grace to 
197 



our necessities. And as the ties which 
bind us to earth are severed, may those 
which unite us to heaven be strengthened. 
Affect us, O God, with a just conviction 
of the vanity of human life, and the un- 
certainty of earthly comforts. And help 
us to look forward to the resurrection of 
the just, when those who have been sepa- 
rated shall meet to part no more. We 
offer these prayers in the name of thy Son 
Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen. 

ANOTHER, UPON THE DEATH OF A CHRIS- 
TIAN FRIEND. 

ALMIGHTY God, with whom do live 
the spirits of those who are departed 
in the true faith of thy holy name, we 
humbly beseech thee, that in the loss of 
our friends, who have died in the Lord, 
we may not sorrow as those who have no 
hope. O, may we realize in some measure 
the blessedness of their change. May we 
find a solace and support in the comfort- 
able assurance, that through thine only- 
begotten Son Jesus Christ, who has over- 
come death, their vile bodies shall be 



changed, and be made like unto his own 
most glorious body; that, through the 
grave and gate of death, they shall pass to 
their joyful resurrection ; that they rest 
from their labors, and their works do fol- 
low them ; that delivered from the burden 
of the flesh, they have entered into the fe- 
licity of thy chosen ; and that received 
into paradise, they wait with the spirits of 
the just in joyful expectation of their per- 
fect consummation and bliss in thy eternal 
and everlasting glory. Most thankfully, 
therefore, do we praise thee for their gra- 
cious lives and deaths here, and for the 
glorious crowns with which they are re- 
compensed in thy kingdom ; beseeching 
thee to give us grace so to follow their 
good examples, that we, living and dying 
like them, may together with them be 
partakers of thy heavenly kingdom, and 
be numbered with these thy holy ones in 
glory everlasting. Grant these petitions, 
&c. Amen. 



199 



A PRAYER FOR A FAMILY ON OCCASION OF 
THE DEATH OF ONE OF ITS MEMBERS. 

// may be used also before the funeral. 

MOST merciful Father, who hast taught 
us in thy Word that thou dost not 
willingly afflict or grieve the children of 
men, look with pity, we pray thee, upon 
the sorrows of this family, in whose behalf 
we now pray. Remember them, O Lord, 
in mercy, and comfort and relieve them 
according to the necessity of their case. 
Comfort their hearts with a sense of thy 
goodness, endue their souls with patience 
under their affliction, and with resignation 
to thy blessed will. In the multitude of 
the sorrows which they have in their hearts, 
let thy comforts refresh their souls. O 
Lord, suffer them not to sorrow as those 
without hope. Enable them to raise their 
thoughts above this troublesome world, 
from which thy servant is departed, to the 
rest and bliss of which we humbly hope 
he is now a partaker in the kingdom of 
heaven. And in the keen sense of the 
bereavement, and the gradual dissolution 



of the ties which bind them to life, let 
their hearts be more steadfastly fixed on 
that place where true joys are alone to be 
found, and where sorrow and sighing are 
done away. May they have grace to look 
with a holy indifference upon the pleasures 
and pursuits, the interests and possessions 
of this world, and to place their affections 
supremely upon things above. And may 
this evil — this weight of sorrow which 
rests upon them — be turned to spiritual 
good, and make them to know and feel 
that all things work together for good to 
them who love thee. 

And let it be the serious care of us all, 
O Lord, to serve and please thee. Let 
our duty be our employment, thy law our 
rule, thy providence our portion, and thy 
Spirit our helper and guide. Give us 
grace to live as those who are born to die, 
and whose spirits must soon depart to the 
eternal world. Grant that the shortness 
of life may continually remind us of its 
importance, and the uncertainty of its con- 
tinuance make us ever ready and prepared 
for its end. 



(Assist us, O Lord, in what remains of 
the mournful duties to which we are now 
called. May the comforts of thy truth 
and the power of thy grace be with us 
while we now commit, with becoming so- 
lemnity, these earthly remains to the 
ground, looking with the eye of faith to 
the resurrection of the dead, and the life 
of the world to come.) All which we ask, 
&c. 

One or more of the following may be used in con- 
nection with the above, as the circumstances of 
the case may be, 

FOR THE HUSBAND OF A DECEASED WIFE. 

EXTEND, we beseech thee, thy com- 
passionate goodness to the surviving 
companion of the deceased. In this dis- 
tressing sorrow may thy heavenly grace be 
with him, and so sanctify, O righteous 
God, this severe affliction, that what seems 
so great a loss may conduce to his eternal 
gain. With pious submission to thy un- 
erring wisdom, may he resign this dear 
friend to thy superior claim ; may he know 
and feel that the Lord gave what he taketh 



away; that thou art just and good in all 
thy ways, and that thy mercy endureth 
forever. 

FOR THE WIFE OF A DECEASED HUSBAND. 

OTHOU, who art the defender of the 
widows, sustain thy servant in her sor- 
rows, and help her in her duties. Enable 
her to bear this bereavement with resig- 
nation, and so to improve it to her good, 
as to find that even in judgment there is 
mercy. Let her sad state of widowhood 
be a state of repentance and holiness, of 
unfeigned piety and fervent devotion. 
Let her afflictions wean her from the 
world, and let her hope and her joy, her 
desires and her conversation, be in heaven. 

FOR THE CHILDREN. 

OTHOU, who art the Father of the 
fatherless, look graciously upon the 
children of this bereaved family. Spare 
them to be the comfort and the solace of 
their mother, and fit and dispose her to 
bring them up in the nurture and admoni- 
tion of the Lord. Be thou their God and 



their Father, and let thy providence be 
their protection, thy service their employ- 
ment, thy angels their guards ; and so keep 
them by thy preventing and restraining 
grace, that they may never fall into sin, 
but serve thee faithfully here in their gen- 
eration, and finally be made partakers of 
thy heavenly kingdom. 

O merciful Father, heal all the breaches 
of this family \ preserve and increase its 
remaining comforts, and send down upon 
it the continual dew of thy blessing. 
Hear us, O Lord, for the sake of our 
Advocate and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. 
Amen. 

A PRAYER THAT MAY BE SAID EITHER BE- 
FORE OR AFTER A FUNERAL. 

FATHER of mercies and God of 
all comfort and consolation, who 
alone cast comfort those who are sorrow- 
ful, vouchsafe unto this family, we pray 
thee, the comfortable consolation of thy 
Holy Spirit. Help them to be resigned 
to this trying dispensation of thy provi- 
dence, and from their hearts to say, " It is 
204 



the Lord; let him do what seemeth to 
him good. The Lord gave, and the Lord 
hath taken away ; blessed be the name of 
the Lord." 

Sanctify unto them this solemn visita- 
tion of thy providence. In this instance 
of mortality, may they see how frail and 
uncertain their own condition is. May it 
tend to wean their minds from this world, 
and to elevate them to a better. May it 
dispose them to set their affections on 
things above, and not on things of the 
world. O, may this dispensation (or the 
solemnities of this day) never be forgotten 
by them; but may it so influence their 
hearts, as' to induce them to seek that 
wisdom which will lead them to secure 
their interests in a better world before 
they are removed from this. 

Blessed Jesus, thou hast said, " I am 
the Resurrection and the Life ; he that 
believeth in me, though he were dead, yet 
shall he live." Blessed be thy name for 
this comfortable assurance. May this 
glorious discovery of the resurrection 
cheer and sustain their hearts, and dispose 
205 



them "not to sorrow as those without 
hope," in the confidence that they shall 
again see those with whom, in this world, 
they lived in the bonds of tender affection 
and love. And in this consoling hope 
may they now comfort themselves, ever 
remembering that those u who sleep in 
Jesus will God bring with him again in 
glory," and that these light afflictions of a 
moment shall work out for them a far 
more exceeding and eternal weight of 
glory. Amen. 

ANOTHER, TO BE USED BEFORE A FUNERAL, 
OR AFTER THE DECEASE OF A PERSON. 

OGOD, whose days are without end, 
and whose mercies cannot be num- 
bered, make us, we pray thee, deeply sen- 
sible of the shortness and uncertainty of 
human life. In these daily instances of 
mortality, may we see how frail and un- 
certain our own condition is. Teach us 
so to number our days, that we may ap- 
ply ourselves to wisdom ; that so, among 
the sundry and manifold changes of the 
world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, 
206 



where true joys are to be found, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Sanctify to this family, O God, this af- 
flictive dispensation of thy providence. 
May the lively sense of the bereavement 
which they have sustained lead them to 
cleave more closely to thee, their God. In 
all their troubles, may their whole trust 
and confidence be placed in thy mercy. 
Awakened by the visitation of thy provi- 
dence to a deep sense of the uncertainty 
and vanity of human life, may they re- 
solve to seek supremely those things 
which are above; to resign themselves 
and all their concerns to thy disposal ; and 
in the fulness of resignation to say, with 
holy Job, " The Lord gave, and the Lord 
hath taken away ; blessed be the name of 
the Lord." 

In the instance of mortality before us, 
thou dost teach us, O God, that death is 
the end of all men. Grant us, who are 
living, grace to lay it to heart ; so to lay it 
to heart as to live above the world ; to 
seek thy favor, to study thy will, to observe 
thy laws, and in all our actions to aim at 
207 



thy glory, at the salvation of our souls, and 
the souls of our fellow-men. And when 
we shall be called to go the way of all the 
earth, may thy presence go with us, and 
comfort us and lead us to a rest eternal 
in the heavens. 

Spare us, most merciful Father, till we 
have truly repented of our sins, and have 
made our peace with thee. And, for 
Jesus Christ's sake, forgive us all our past 
sins, and quicken us unto a new and 
holy life ; that, being partakers of the 
death of thy Son, we may also be par- 
takers of his resurrection,— of perfect and 
endless bliss, both in body and soul, in 
thy heavenly kingdom. And may the 
good examples of all those who have de- 
parted this life in the true faith of thy 
holy name, and in the hope of their eter- 
nal blessedness, excite us to press with the 
more earnestness towards the mark for 
the prize of the high calling of God in 
Christ Jesus. 

Assist us mercifully, O Lord, in these 
our prayers and supplications, and dispose 
the hearts of thy servants towards the at- 
208 



tainment of everlasting salvation ; that 
among all the changes and chances of this 
mortal life, they may ever be defended by 
thy most gracious and ready help, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 



W$t ODr^^rfnrttj^ Mtsttcdum offye Sick* 

T[ When any person is sick, notice shall be given 
thereof to the Minister of the Parish ; who, com- 
ing into the sick person's house, shall say, 

PEACE be to this house, and to all that 
dwell in it. 

IT When he cometh into the sick man's presence, 
he shall say, kneeling down, 

REMEMBER not, Lord, our iniquities, 
nor the iniquities of our forefathers ; 
Spare us, good Lord, spare thy people, 
whom thou has redeemed with thy most 
precious blood ; and be not angry with us 
for ever. 

Answer. Spare us, good Lord. 

% Then the Minister shall say, 

Let us pray. 
Lord, have mercy upon us. 
Christ, have mercy upon us. 
Lord, have mercy upon us. 

209 



OUR Father, who art in heaven, Hal- 
lowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom 
come. Thy will be done on earth, As it 
is in heaven. Give us this day our daily 
bread. And forgive us our trespasses, 
As we forgive those who trespass against 
us. And lead us not into temptation; 
But deliver us from evil. Amen. 

Minister. O Lord, save thy servant ; 

Answer. Who putteth his trust in thee. 

Minister. Send him help from thy holy 
place ; 

Answer. And evermore mightily defend 
him. 

Minister. Let the enemy have no ad- 
vantage of him ; 

Answer. Nor the wicked approach to 
hurt him. 

Minister. Be unto him, O Lord, a 
strong tower, 

Answer. From the face of his enemy. 

Minister. O Lord, hear our prayer. 

Answer. And let our cry come unto 
thee. 



Minister. 

OLORD, look down from heaven, be- 
hold, visit, and relieve this thy ser- 
vant. Look upon him with the eyes of 
thy mercy, give him comfort and sure con- 
fidence in thee, defend him from the dan- 
ger of the enemy, and keep him in per- 
petual peace and safety ; through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Atnen. 

HEAR us, Almighty and most merciful 
God and Savior ; extend thy accus- 
tomed goodness to this thy servant, who is 
grieved with sickness. Sanctify, we be- 
seech thee, this thy fatherly correction to 
him ; that the sense of his weakness may 
add strength to his faith, and seriousness 
to his repentance : That if it shall be thy 
good pleasure to restore him to his former 
health, he may lead the residue of his life 
in thy fear, and to thy glory ; or else give 
him grace so to take thy visitation, that, 
after this painful life ended, he may dwell 
with thee in life everlasting ; through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 



1[ Then shall the Minister exhort the sick Person 
after this form, or other like : 



DEARLY beloved, know this, that Al- 
mighty God is the Lord of life and 
death, and of all things to them pertain- 
ing ; as youth, strength, health, age, weak- 
ness, and sickness. Wherefore, whatso- 
ever your sickness be, know you certainly 
that it is God's visitation. And for what 
cause soever this sickness be sent unto 
you • whether it be to try your patience 
for the example of others, and that your 
faith may be found, in the day of the 
Lord, laudable, glorious, and honorable, 
to the increase of glory and endless felic- 
ity; or else it be sent unto you to correct 
and amend in you whatsoever doth offend 
the eyes of your heavenly Father ; know 
you certainly, that if you truly repent you 
of your sins, and bear your sickness pa- 
tiently, trusting in God's mercy, for his 
dear Son Jesus Christ's sake, and render 
unto him humble thanks for his fatherly 
visitation, submitting yourself wholly unto 
his will, it shall turn to your profit, and 
212 



help you forward in the right way that 
leadeth unto everlasting life. 

5[ If the Person visited be very sick, then the Min- 
ister may end his Exhortation in this place, or 
else proceed : 

TAKE therefore in good part the chas- 
tisement of the Lord ; For, (as Saint 
Paul saith, in the twelfth Chapter to the 
Hebrews.) whom the Lordloveth he chas- 
teneth, and scourgeth every son whom he 
receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God 
dealeth with you as with sons : for what son 
is he whom the Father chasteneth not ? 
But if ye be without chastisement, whereof 
all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and 
not sons. Furthermore, we have had 
fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, 
and we gave them reverence : shall we 
not much rather be in subjection unto the 
Father of spirits, and live? For they 
verily for a few days chastened us after 
their own pleasure ; but he for our profit, 
that we might be partakers of his holiness. 
These words, good brother, are written in 
holy Scripture, for our comfort and in- 
struction; that we should patiently, and 



with thanksgiving, bear our heavenly 
Father's correction, whensoever, by any 
manner of adversity, it shall please his 
gracious goodness to visit us. And there 
should be no greater comfort to Christian 
persons, than to be made like unto Christ, 
by suffering patiently adversities, troubles, 
and sicknesses. For he himself went not 
up to joy, but first he suffered pain ; he 
entered not into his glory before he was 
crucified. So truly our way to eternal 
joy is to suffer here with Christ; and our 
door to enter into eternal life is gladly to 
die with Christ ; that we may rise again 
from death, and dwell with him in everlast- 
ing life. Now, therefore, taking your sick- 
ness, which is thus profitable for you, pa- 
tiently, I exhort you in the Name of God, 
to remember the profession which you 
made unto God in your Baptism. And 
forasmuch as after this life there is an ac- 
count to be given unto the righteous 
Judge, by whom all must be judged, with- 
out respect of persons, I require you to 
examine yourself, and your estate, both 
toward God and man ; so that, accusing 
214 



and condemning yourself for your own 
faults, you may find mercy at our heavenly 
Father's hand for Christ's sake, and not 
be accused and condemned in that fearful 
judgment. Therefore I shall rehearse to 
you the Articles of our Faith ; that you 
may know whether you do believe as a 
Christian man should, or no. 

H Here the Minister shall rehearse the Articles of 
the Faith, saying thus : 

DOST thou believe in God the Father 
Almighty, Maker of heaven and 
earth ? 

And in Jesus Christ his only-begotten 
Son our Lord ? And that he was con- 
ceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the 
Virgin Mary ; that he suffered under 
Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and 
buried ; that he went down into hell, and 
also did rise again the third day ; that he 
ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the 
right hand of God the Father Almighty ; 
and from thence shall come again, at the 
end of the world, to judge the quick and 
the dead ? 



And dost thou believe in the Holy 
Ghost; the holy Catholic Church, the 
Communion of Saints ; the Remission of 
sins ; the Resurrection of the flesh ; and 
everlasting Life after death ? 

II The sick person shall answer, 

All this I steadfastly believe. 

1[ Then shall the Minister examine, whether he re- 
pent him truly of his sins, and be in charity with 
all the world ; exhorting him to forgive, from the 
bottom of his heart, all persons that have offended 
him ; and if he hath offended any other, to ask 
them forgiveness ; and where he hath done in- 
jury or wrong to any man, that he make amends 
to the uttermost of his power. And if he hath not 
before disposed of his goods, let him then be ad- 
monished to make his Will, and to declare his 
debts, what he oweth, and what is owing unto 
him, for the better discharging of his conscience, 
and the quietness of his Executors. But men 
should often be put in remembrance to take order 
for the settling of their temporal estates, whilst 
they are in health. 

^f The Exhortation, before rehearsed, may be said 
before the Minister begins his Prayer, as he shall 
see cause. 

D" The Minister shall not omit earnestly to move 
such sick persons, as are of ability, to be liberal to 
the poor. 

^ And then the Minister shall say the Collect fol- 
lowing. 

Let us pray. 

OMOST merciful God, who, according 
to the multitude of thy mercies, dost 
so put away the sins of those who truly re- 
216 



pent, that thou rememberest them no 
more ; Open thine eye of mercy upon this 
thy servant, who most earnestly desireth 
pardon and forgiveness. Renew in him, 
most loving Father, whatsoever hath been 
decayed by the fraud and malice of the 
devil, or by his own carnal will and frail- 
ness; preserve and continue this sick 
member in the unity of the Church ■ con- 
sider his contrition, accept his tears, as- 
suage his pain, as shall seem to thee most 
expedient for him. And forasmuch as he 
putteth his full trust only in thy mercy, 
impute not unto him his former sins, but 
strengthen him with thy blessed Spirit; 
and when thou art pleased to take him 
hence, take him unto thy favor ; through 
the merits of thy most dearly beloved Son 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

*i\ Then shall the Minister say this Psalm : 
Psalm cxxx. De Profundis. 

OUT of the deep have I called unto 
thee, O Lord ; Lord, hear my voice. 
O let thine ears consider well the voice 
of my complaint. 

217 



If thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark 
what is done amiss : O Lord, who may 
abide it ? 

For there is mercy with thee ; therefore 
shalt thou be feared. 

I look for the Lord ; my soul doth wait 
for him ; in his word is my trust. 

My soul fleeth unto the Lord, before 
the morning watch ; I say, before the 
morning watch. 

O Israel, trust in the Lord, for with the 
Lord there is mercy ; and with him is 
plenteous redemption. 

And he shall redeem Israel from all his 
sins. 

% Adding this : 

SAVIOR of the world, who by thy 
Cross and precious Blood hast re- 
deemed us ; Save us, and help us, we 
humbly beseech thee, O Lord. 

% Then shall the Minister say, 

1 A HE Almighty Lord, who is a most 
strong tower to all those who put their 
trust in him, to whom all things in heaven, 
in earth, and under the earth, do bow and 

2lS 



obey, Be now and evermore thy defence ; 
and make thee know and feel, that there 
is none other Name under heaven given 
to man, in whom, and through whom, 
thou mayest receive health and salvation, 
but only the name of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. Amen. 

^f Here the Minister may use any part of the ser- 
vice of this book, which, in his discretion, he shall 
think convenient to the occasion ; and after that 
shall say, 

UNTO God's gracious mercy and pro- 
tection we commit thee. The Lord 
bless thee and keep thee, the Lord 
•make his face to shine upon thee, and be 
gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up his 
countenance upon thee, and give thee 
peace, both now and evermore. Amen. 

% Prayers which may be said with the foregoing ser- 
vice, or any part thereof, at the discretion of the 
Minister. 

A PRAYER FOR A SICK CHILD. 

ALMIGHTY God, and merciful 
Father, to whom alone belong the 
issues of life and death, Look down from 
heaven, we humbly beseech thee, with the 
eyes of mercy upon this child, now lying 
219 



upon the bed of sickness : Visit him O 
Lord,, with thy salvation ; deliver him in 
thy good appointed time from his bodily 
pain, and save his soul for thy mercies' 
sake : That if it shall be thy pleasure to 
prolong his days here on earth, he may 
live to thee, and be an instrument of thy 
glory, by serving thee faithfully, and doing 
good in his generation : or else receive him 
into those heavenly habitations, where the 
souls of those who sleep in the Lord Jesus 
enjoy perpetual rest and felicity. Grant 
this, O Lord, for thy mercies' sake, in the 
same thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, who 
liveth and reigneth with thee and the 
Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without 
end. Amen. 

A PRAYER FOR A SICK PERSON, WHEN 
THERE APPEARETH BUT SMALL HOPE OF 

RECOVERY. 

FAT HER of mercies, and God of all 
comfort, our only help in time of 
need ; We fly unto thee for succor in be- 
half of this thy servant, here lying under 
thy hand in great weakness of body. Look 



graciously upon him, Q Lord; and the 
more the outward man decayeth, strength- 
en him, we beseech thee, so much the 
more continually with thy grace and Holy 
Spirit in the inner man. Give him un- 
feigned repentance for all the errors of his 
life past, and steadfast faith in thy son 
Jesus ; that his sins may be done away by 
thy mercy, and his pardon sealed in heav- 
en, before he go hence, and be no more 
seen. We know, O Lord, that there is no 
word impossible with thee ; and that, if 
thou wilt, thou canst even yet raise him 
up, and grant him a longer continuance 
amongst us : Yet, forasmuch as in all ap- 
pearance the time of his dissolution 
draweth near, so fit and prepare him, we 
beseech thee, against the hour of death, 
that after his departure hence in peace, 
and in thy favor, his soul maybe received 
into thine everlasting kingdom ; through 
the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ 
thine only Son, our Lord and Savior. 
Amen. 



A COMMENDATORY PRAYER FOR A SICK 
PERSON AT THE POINT OF DEPARTURE. 

ALMIGHTY God, with whom do 
live the spirits of just men made per- 
fect, after they are delivered from their 
earthly prisons ; We humbly commend the 
soul of this thy servant, our dear brother, 
into thy hands, as into the hands of a 
faithful Creator, and most merciful Savior; 
most humbly beseeching thee that it may 
be precious in thy sight. Wash it, we 
pray thee, in the blood of that immacu- 
late Lamb, that was slain to take away 
the sins of the world ; that whatsoever 
defilements it may have contracted in the 
midst of this miserable and naughty 
world, through the lusts of the flesh, or 
the wiles of Satan, being purged and done 
away, it may be presented pure and with- 
out spot before thee. And teach us who 
survive, in this, and other like dairy spec- 
tacles of mortality, to see how frail and 
uncertain our own condition is; and so 
to number our days, that we may seri- 
ously apply our hearts to that holy and 
222 



heavenly wisdom, whilst we live here, 
which may in the end bring us 'to life ever- 
lasting ■ through the merits of Jesus Christ 
thine only Son our Lord. Amen. 

A PRAYER FOR PERSONS TROUBLED IN 
MIND OR IN CONSCIENCE. 

BLESSED Lord, the Father of mer- 
cies, and the God of all comfort, 
We beseech thee, look down in pity and 
compassion upon this thy afflicted servant. 
Thou writest bitter things against kirn, 
and makest him to possess his former in- 
iquities; thy wrath lieth hard upon him, 
and his soul is full of trouble. But, O 
merciful God, who hast written thy holy 
Word for our learning, that we, through 
patience and comfort of thy holy Scrip- 
tures, might have hope ; give him a right 
understanding of hi??iself, and of thy 
threats and promises ; that he may neith- 
er cast away his confidence in thee, nor 
place it anywhere but in thee. Give him 
strength against all his temptations, and 
heal all his distempers. Break not the 
bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. 
223 



Shut not up thy tender mercies in dis- 
pleasure ; but make him to hear of joy 
and gladness, that the bones which thou 
hast broken may rejoice. Deliver him 
from fear of the enemy, and lift up the 
light of thy countenance upon him, and 
give him peace, through the merits and 
mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 

A PRAYER WHICH MAY BE SAID BY THE 
MINISTER, IN BEHALF OF ALL PRESENT 
AT THE VISITATION. 

OGOD, whose days are without end, 
and whose mercies cannot be num- 
bered y Make us, we beseech thee, deeply 
sensible of the shortness and uncertainty 
of human life; and let thy Holy Spirit 
lead us through this vale of misery, in 
holiness and righteousness, all the days of 
our lives : That, when we shall have 
served thee in our generation, we may be 
gathered unto our fathers, having the tes- 
timony of a good conscience ; in the com- 
munion of the catholic Church ; in the 
confidence of a certain faith ; in the com- 
224 



fort of a reasonable, religious, and holy 
hope ■ in favor with thee our God, and in 
perfect charity with the world : All which 
we ask through Jesns Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 

A PRAYER WHICH MAY BE SAID IN CASE OF 
SUDDEN SURPRISE AND IMMEDIATE DAN- 
GER. 

OMOST gracious Father, we fly unto 
thee for mercy in behalf of this thy 
servant, here lying under the sudden visi- 
tation of thine hand. If it . be thy will, 
preserve his life, that there may be place 
for repentance ; but if thou hast otherwise 
appointed, let thy mercy supply to him the 
want of the usual opportunity for the 
trimming of his lamp. Stir up in him 
such sorrow for sin, and such fervent love 
to thee, as may in a short time do the 
work of many days: That among the 
praises which thy saints and holy angels 
shall sing to the honor of thy mercy 
through eternal ages, it may be to thy un- 
speakable glory, that thou hast redeemed 
the soul of this thy servant from eternal 



death, and made him partaker of the ever- 
lasting life, which is through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. A??ien. 

A THANKSGIVING FOR THE BEGINNING OF A 
RECOVERY. 

GREAT and mighty God, who bringest 
down to the grave and bringest up 
again \ We bless thy wonderful goodness, 
for having turned our heaviness into joy 
and our mourning into gladness, by re- 
storing this our brother to some degree of 
his former health. Blessed be thy Name, 
that thou didst not forsake him in his 
sickness; but didst visit him with com- 
forts from above ; didst support him in 
patience and submission to thy will ; and, 
at last, didst send him seasonable relief. 
Perfect, we beseech thee, this thy mercy 
towards him ; and prosper the means 
which shall be made use of for his cure : 
That being restored to health of body, 
vigor of mind, and cheerfulness of spirit, 
he may be able to go to thine house, to 
offer thee an oblation with great gladness ; 
and to bless thy holy Name for all thy 
226 



goodness towards him; through Jesus 
Christ our Savior, to whom with thee and 
the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, 
world without end. Amen. 



®|e ©rfor fur tij£ toned jof ttje ®zab. 

Here is to be noted, that the Office ensuing is not 
to be tised for any unbaptized adults, any who 
die excommunicate, or who have laid violent 
hands upon themselves. 

The Minister, meeting the Corpse at the entrance 
of the Church-yard, and going before it, either 
into the Church or towards the Grave, shall say, 
or sing, — 

I AM the resurrection and the life, saith 
the Lord : he that believeth in me, 
though he were dead, yet shall he live ; and 
whosoever liveth and believeth in me 
shall never die. St. John xi. 25, 26. 

1KNOW that my Redeemer liveth, and 
that he shall stand at the latter day 
upon the earth. And though after my 
skin worms destroy this body, yet in my 
flesh shall I see God ; whom I shall see 
for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and 
not another. Job xix, 25-27. 
227 



WE brought nothing into this world, 
and it is certain we can carry noth- 
ing out The Lord gave, and the Lord 
hath taken away ; blessed be the Name of 
the Lord, i Tim. vi. 7; Job i. 21. 

After they are come into the Church shall be said, 
or sting, the following Anthem, taken from the 
jtplh and got h Psalms : — 

LORD, let me know my end, and the 
number of my days, that I may be 
certified how long I have to live. 

Behold, thou hast made my days as 
it were a span long, and mine age is 
even as nothing in respect of thee; and 
verily every man living is altogether vanity. 

For man walketh in a vain shadow, and 
disquieteth himself in vain ; he heapeth 
up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather 
them. 

And now, Lord, what is my hope ? 
Truly my hope is even in thee. 

Deliver me from all mine offences ; and 
make me not a rebuke unto the foolish. 

When thou with rebukes dost chasten 
man for sins, thou makest his beauty to 
consume away, like as it were a moth 
228 



fretting a garment : every man therefore 
is but vanity. 

Hear my prayer, Lord, and with 
thine ears consider my calling ; hold not 
thy peace at my tears. 

For I am a stranger with thee, and a 
sojourner, as all my fathers were. 

O, spare me a little, that I may recover 
my strength, before I go hence, and be no 
more seen. 

Lord, thou hast been our refuge, from 
one generation to another. 

Before the mountains were brought 
forth, or ever the earth and the world 
were made, thou art God from everlasting, 
and world without end. 

Thou turnest man to destruction; 
again thou sayest, Come again, ye child- 
ren of men." 

For a thousand years in thy sight are 
but as yesterday; seeing that is past as a 
watch in the night. 

As soon as thou scatterest them, they 
are even as a sleep, and fade away sud- 
denly like the grass. 

In the morning it is green, and groweth 
229 



up ; but in the evening it is cut down, 
dried up, and withered. 

For we consume away in thy displeas- 
ure, and are afraid at thy wrathful indig- 
nation. 

Thou hast set our misdeeds before thee, 
and our secret sins in the light of thy 
countenance. 

For when thou art angry, all our days 
are gone ; we bring our years to an end, 
as it were a tale that is told. 

The days of our age are threescore years 
and ten ; and though men be so strong 
that they come to fourscore years, yet is 
their strength then but labor and sorrow ; 
so soon passeth it away, and we are gone. 

So teach us to number our days, that 
we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, 
and to the Holy Ghost ; 

As it was in the beginning, is now, and 
ever shall be, world without end. Amen. 



Then shall follow the Lesson, taken out of the 
fifteenth Chapter of the First Epistle of St. 
Paul to the Corinthians. 



230 



i Cor. xv. 20. 

NOW is Christ risen from the dead, and 
become the first fruits of them that 
slept. For since by man came death, by 
man came also the resurrection of the 
dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in 
Christ shall all be made alive. But every 
man in his own order : Christ the first- 
fruits ; afterward they that are Christ's, at 
his coming. Then cometh the end, when 
he shall have delivered up the kingdom to 
God, even the Father; when he shall 
have put down all rule, and all authority, 
and power. For he must reign till he 
hath put all enemies under his feet. The 
last enemy that shall be destroyed is 
death. For he hath put all things under 
his feet. But when he saith, all things 
are put under him, it is manifest that he 
is excepted, which did put all things under 
him. And when all things shall be subdued 
unto him, then shall the Son also himself 
be subject unto Him that put all things ■ 
under him, that God may be all in all. 
Else what shall they do which are baptized 
for the dead, if the dead rise not at all ? 
231 



Why are they then baptized for the dead ? 
and why stand we in jeopardy every hour ? 
I protest by your rejoicing, which I have 
in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. If 
after the manner of men I have fought 
with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth 
it me, if the dead rise not ? let us eat and 
drink, for to-morrow we die. Be not de- 
ceived : evil communications corrupt good 
manners. Awake to righteousness, and 
sin not ; for some have not the knowledge 
of God. I speak this to your shame. But 
some man will say, How are the dead 
raised up ? and with what body do they 
come ? Thou fool ! that which thou sowest 
is not quickened, except it die. And that 
which thou sowest, thou sowest not* that 
body that shall be, but bare grain ; it may 
chance of wheat, or of some other grain. 
But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased 
him, and to every seed his own body. All 
flesh is not the same flesh ; but there is 
, one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of 
beasts, another of fishes, and another of 
birds. There are also celestial bodies, 
and bodies terrestrial; but the glory of 
232 



the celestial is one, and the glory of the 
terrestrial is another. There is one glory 
of the sun, and another glory of the moon, 
and another glory of the stars ; for one star 
differeth from another star in glory. So also 
is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown 
in corruption ; it is raised in incorruption : 
it is sown in dishonor ; it is raised in glory : 
it is sown in weakness ; it is raised in 
power : it is sown a natural body ; it is 
raised a spiritual body. There is a 
natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 
And so it is written, The first man Adam 
was made a living soul; the last Adam 
was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit, 
that was not first which is spiritual, but 
that which is natural ; and afterward that 
which is spiritual. The first man is of 
the earth, earthy; the second man is the 
Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, 
such are they that are earthy ; and as is 
the heavenly, such are they also that are 
heavenly. And as we have borne the 
image of the earthy, we shall also bear 
the image of the heavenly. Now this I 
say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot 
233 



inherit the kingdom of God ; neither doth 
corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, 
I show you a mystery ; we shall not all 
sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a 
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the 
last trump : for the trumpet shall sound, 
and the dead shall be raised incorrupti- 
ble, and we shall be changed. For this 
corruptible must put on incorruption, and 
this mortal must put on immortality. So 
when this corruptible shall have put on 
incorruption, and this mortal shall have 
put on immortality, then shall be brought 
to pass the saying that is written, Death is 
swallowed up in victory. O death, where 
is thy sting ? O grave, where is thy vic- 
tory ? The sting of death is sin ; and the 
strength of sin is the law. But thanks be 
to God, which giveth us the victory 
through our Lord Jesus Christ. There- 
fore, my beloved brethren, be ye stead- 
fast, un movable, always abounding in the 
work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know 
that your labor is not vain in the Lord. 



When they come to the Grave \ while the Corpse is 
made ready to be laid into the earth, shall be 
sung, or said, — 

MAN, that is born of a woman, hath but 
a short time to live, and is full of 
misery. He cometh up, and is cut down, 
like a flower; he fleeth as it were a 
shadow, and never continueth in one 
stay. 

In the midst of life we are in death • of 
whom may we seek for succor, but of thee, 
O Lord, who for our sins art justly dis- 
pleased ? 

Yet, O Lord God most holy, O Lord 
most mighty, O holy and most merciful 
Savior, deliver us not into the bitter pains 
of eternal death. 

Thou knowest Lord, the secrets of our 
hearts ; shut not thy merciful ears to our 
prayers ; but spare us, Lord most holy, O 
God most mighty, O holy and merciful 
Savior, thou most worthy Judge eternal, 
suffer us not, at our last hour, for any 
pains of death, to fall from thee. 



235 



Then, while the earth shall be cast upon the Body 
by some standing by, the Minister shall say, — 

FORASMUCH as it hath pleased Al- 
mighty God, in his wise providence, 
to take out of this world the soul of our 
deceased brother, we therefore commit his 
body to the ground ; earth to earth, ashes 
to ashes, dust to dust; looking for the 
general resurrection in the last day, and 
the life of the world to come, through our 
Lord Jesus Christ ; at whose second com- 
ing in glorious majesty to judge the world, 
the earth and the sea shall give up their 
dead ; and the corruptible bodies of those 
who sleep in him shall be changed, and 
made like unto his own glorious body; 
according to the mighty working whereby 
he is able to subdue all things unto him- 
self. 

Then shall be said, or sung, — 

I HEARD a voice from heaven, saying 
unto me, Write, From henceforth 
blessed are the dead who die in the Lord ; 
even so saith the Spirit; for they rest 
from their labors. Rev. xiv. 13. 
236 



Then the Minister shall say the Lord's Prayer. 

OUR Father, who art in heaven, hal- 
lowed be thy name. Thy kingdom 
come ; thy will be done on earth, as it is 
in heaven. Give us this day our daily 
bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we 
forgive those who trespass against us. 
And lead us not into temptation ; but de- 
liver us from evil. Amen. 

Then the Minister shall say one or both of the 
following Prayers, at his discretion. 

ALMIGHTY God, with whom do live 
the spirits of those who depart hence 
in the Lord, and with whom the souls of 
the faithful, after they are delivered from 
the burden of the flesh, are in joy and fe- 
licity, we give thee hearty thanks for the 
good examples of all those thy servants, 
who, having finished their course in faith, 
do now rest from their labors. And we 
beseech thee, that we, with all those who 
are departed in the true faith of thy holy 
Name, may have our perfect consumma- 
tion and bliss, both in body and soul, in 
thy eternal and everlasting glory, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 
237 



MERCIFUL God, the Father of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, who is the resur- 
rection and the life ; in whom whosoever 
believeth shall live, though he die; and 
whosoever liveth, and believeth in him, 
shall not die eternally; who also hath 
taught us, by his holy apostle Saint Paul, 
not to be sorry, as men without hope, for 
those who sleep in him ; we humbly be- 
seech thee, O Father, to raise us from the 
death of sin unto the life of righteousness ; 
that, when we shall depart this life, we 
may rest in him ; and that, at the general 
resurrection in the last day, we may be 
found acceptable in thy sight; and re- 
ceive that blessing, which thy well-be- 
loved Son shall then pronounce to all who 
love and fear thee, saying, Come, ye 
blessed children of my Father, receive the 
kingdom prepared for you from the be- 
ginning of the world. Grant this, we be- 
seech thee, O merciful Father, through 
Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Redeemer. 
Amen. 



238 



THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ? 
and the love of God, and the fellow- 
ship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all 
evermore. Amen. 



From the Book of Common Prayer. 
HYMN 124. C. M. 

HEAR what the voice from heaven declares 
To those in Christ who die ; 
Released from all their earthly cares, 
They'll reign with him on high. 

2 Then why lament departed friends, 

Or shake at death's alarms ? 
Death's but the servant Jesus sends 
To call us to his arms. 

3 If sin be pardoned, we're secure ; 

Death hath no sting beside ; 
The law gave sin its strength and power, 
But Christ, our ransom, died. 

4 The graves of all his saints he blessed, 

When in the grave he lay ; 
And rising thence, their hopes he raised 
To everlasting day. 

5 Then joyfully, while life we have, 

To Christ, our life, we'll sing, 
' ' Where is thy vie tory , O grave ? 
And where, O death, thy sting?" 

239 



HYMN 125. C. M. 

WHEN those we love are snatched away 
By death's resistless hand, 
Our hearts the mournful tribute pay, 
That friendship must demand. 

2 While pity prompts the rising sigh, 

With awful power impressed, 
May this dread truth, "I, too, must die," 
Sink deep in every breast. 

3 Let this vain world allure no more ; 

Behold the opening tomb ; 
It bids us use the present hour ; 
To-morrow death may come. 

4 The voice of this instructive scene 

May every heart obey ; 
Nor be the faithful warning vain 
Which calls to watch and pray. 

5 O, let us to that Savior fly 

Whose arm alone can save ; 
Then shall our hopes ascend on high, 
And triumph o'er the grave. 

HYMN 126. C. M. 

DEATH OF A YOUNG PERSON. 

OW short the race our friend has run, 
Cut down in all his bloom : 
The course but yesterday begun, 
Now finished in the tomb. 

2 Thou joyous youth, hence learn how soon 
Thy years may end their flight : 
240 



H 



Long, long before life's brilliant noon, 
May come death's gloomy night. 

3 To serve thy God no longer wait ; 

To-day his voice regard ; 
To-morrow, mercy's open gate 
May be forever barred. 

4 And thus the Lord reveals his grace, 

Thy youthful love to gain : 
The soul that early seeks my face 
Shall never seek in vain. 

HYMN 127. 

DEATH OF AN INFANT. 



A 



S the sweet flower that scents the morn, 
But withers in the rising day, 
Thus lovely was this infant's dawn, 
Thus swiftly fled its life away. 

2 It died ere its expanding soul 

Had ever burned with wrong desires, 
Had ever spurned at Heaven's control, 
Or ever quenched its sacred fires. 

3 It died to sin, it died to cares, 

But for a moment felt the rod ; 
O mourner, such, the Lord declares, 
Such are the children of our God. 



3nbe* to Actions of ttje fcteabtag fatter. 



PART SECOND. 

The Path of Sorrow, &c 247 

Thy Will be done 248 

Miscellaneous Selections ;— To the Sorrowful 249 

Invitations to the Sinner 25t 

Promises of pardon to the Penitent 253 

Psalms to be read before offering prayer 255 

A Supplicatory Psalm 256 

Another 257 

Another 250 

Passages of Scripture to be used on occasion of sad 

affliction:— No. 1 260 

No. 2 262 

No.3 263 

No. 4 264 

Addresses :— No. 1 265 

No.2 267 

No.3 272 

No. 4 273 

No.5 980 

No. 6 232 

Miscellaneous 287 

Charity 296 

Design of Affliction 299 

On the duties of the Afflicted 302 

Examples of Prayer under Affliction 303 

Duty of Patience 304 

Examples of Resignation .306 

Examples of Arm reliance on God in afflictions 308 

Influence of Religion 310 

Design of God in afflicting his people 312 



Efficacy of Prayer 315 

Duty of Christians 317 

The Dying Christian 319 

The Christian's death bed 321 

Sinners invited to Christ , 322 

When of the World grown tired .325 

Benefit of Afflictions 326 

Anecdote related by Mr. Whitefield 328 

Submission 331 

Use of Affliction 332 

Consolations of Religion 335 

Compassion and Condescension of Christ 338 

The Doubting Penitent 340 

As Thou Wilt 342 

Efficacy of Christ's merits 344 

God a God of Covenant 340 

Antinomian Doctrines 348 

The Convinced Sinner believing in Christ 350 

Christ Unchangeable 352 

Pardon .....354 

On the comfort derived from the Bible 355 

Christ our Confidence 358 

Voltaire 361 

The Divine Goodness 304 

The Land which no Mortal may Know 365 

Safety of ihe Christian 367 

Consequences of Vice 370 

Election 371 

Influence of Christian Hope 373 

Efficacy of Christ's Merits 377 

Oxens tiern 378 

J. Mason 380 

Salmasius 381 

John Locke ., 382 

James Hervey 382 

Dr . Wat ts 385 

Lines on the death of a child 387 

Happy condition of the Believer 3S'.» 



Christians should Rejoice 391 

Prayer 398 

Happy Deaths 395 

Mrs. H 400 

Power of Religion 405 

Benefits of a Savior 411 

The Resurrection and the Life 418 

Death not dreaded by the Christian 415 

Heaven Opened 416 

Recognition in Heaven 418 

Present Enjoyment and Future Prospects of the 

Christian 419 

Death of an Aged Believer 421 

The Dead 428 

Death of the Righteous 425 

Advantages of the Christian in his dying hour 428 

Departed Friends 432 

Death of an Only Son 433 

The Dead in Christ 435 

On the loss of a Child 436 

Death of an Infant 438 

On the loss of a Wife 439 

Death of Friends 441 

Happiness of Heaven 442 

Heaven 445 

Eternity 445 

The Young 450 

The Bible 452 

Worldly Mindedness 455 

Holiness of Heaven '. 456 

Trials of the Christian 457 

Election 462 

Pleasures of Religion 467 

TheGoodMau 477 

Gilts 479 

Savior Mine 480 

Assurance 483 

Ministering Angels 488 

Si4 



When Sins and Fears Prevailing Rise 490 

All Things are Yours 494 

Faith 501 

Ah! Grieve not So 502 

Happy, Savior, Should I Be 505 

Reunion ; 508 

My God, the Cov'nant of thy Love 510 

Why Should I Murmur or Repine 511 

God of my Life, Thy Boundless Grace 516 

Eternal Sun of Righteousness 517 

When on the Brink of Death 518 

Earth has Nothing Sweet or Fair 522 

Prayer, the Life of the Soul 530 

Insipidity 532 

The Spirit of Adoption.. 533 

Living hy Faith 538 

Walking with God .. 542 

Jesus is our Sanctification 546 

Praise 551 

The Lessons of Men's Lives 554 

The Christian 559 

Influence of Good Example 560 

Election '. 570 

The Trinity 576 

Priesthood of the New Covenant 578 

Warning Neglected. 584 

On Faith in Christ 587 

The Savior's care of his People .596 

Lord Bacon 600 

Wilberforcc Richmond ... 601 

Marks of a Prosperous Soul • .611 

God on the Side of Virtue 614 

Testimony of a Deist to the Bible 616 

Neglect of the Gospel 617 

Extract from a letter to one on the loss of a friend . .618 

Rev. David Clarkson 624 

Richard Cecil 629 

Family Worship 635 

245 



Advice to the Clergy 642 

The Present State .648 

Warning 649 

Trials 659 

Humility 663 

Afflictions 665 

Hope 667 

Envy 670 

Fearful Doom of the Wicked 678 

Death of a W orldling 680 

The Theatre 686 

Fashionable Amusements 688 

Gaming 689 

Novel Reading 690 

Vanity 692 

Extract from a letter of the Rev. J. Newton 696 

Man's Works not Meritorious 700 

James Hervey 703 

Folly of Atheism 707 

Afflictions of the Righteous 711 

Benefit of Afflictions 713 

Extract from a letter in relation to Prayer 717 

Letter of the Rev. J. Newton 719 

Rev. C. Simeon 724 

Extract from a letter of the Rev. Mr. Newton 726 

Fulness of Redemption 731 

Isabella Graham 733 

Rev.R. Hall 735 

Heaven 738 



246 



Mart Mtotib. 



" THE PATH OF SORROW, AND THAT PATH ALONE, 
LEADS TO THE LAND WHERE SORROW IS UN- 
KNOWN ; 
NO TRAVELLER E'ER REACHED THAT BLEST 

ABODE 
WHO FOUND NOT THORNS AND BRIERS IN THE 
ROAD." 



247 



THY WILL BE DONE. 



" It is the Lord ; let him do what seemeth him 
good."— i Sam. 3 : 18. 



M 



" Mein Jesu, wie du willt ! " 

Y Jesus, as Thou wilt ! . 

Oh ! may Thy will be mine ! 
Into Thy hand of love 

I would my all resign. 
Through sorrow, or through joy, 

Conduct me as Thine own, 
And help me still to say, 

My Lord, Thy will be done ! 

My Jesus, as Thou wilt ! 

If loved ones must depart, 
Suffer not sorrow's flood 

To overwhelm my heart : 
For they are blest with Thee. 

Their race and conflict won : 
Let me but follow them, 

My Lord, Thy will be done ! 

My Jesus, as Thou wilt! 

"When death itself draws nigh, 
To thy dear wounded side 

I would for refuge fly. 
Leaning on Thee, to go 

Where Thou before hast gone : 
The rest as Thou shalt please, 

My Lord, Thy will be done ! 

My Jesus, as Thou wilt ! 

All shall be well for me : 

Each changing future scene, 

1 gladly trust with Thee. 
Straight to my home above 

I travel calmly on, 
And sing, in life or death, 
My Lord, Thy will be done ! 

Benjamin Schmolk. 
248 



JBttsJCBilanBnns Bzlzztionx. 

The following are front the Scriptures. 
TO THE SORROWFUL. 

MY son, despise not the chastening of 
the Lord, neither be weary of his 
correction ; for whom the Lord loveth he 
correcteth, even as a father a son in whom 
he delighteth. 

If he cause grief, yet will he have com- 
passion, according to the multitude of his 
tender mercies. For he doth not willingly 
afflict or grieve the children of men, but 
doeth it only for their good. For the 
Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to 
anger and of great kindness. Like as a 
father pitieth his children, so the Lord 
pitieth them that fear him. He will not 
always chide, neither will he keep his 
anger forever. For he knoweth our 
frame, and remembereth that we are but 
dust. A bruised reed will he not break, 
and smoking flax* will he not quench. He 
249 



dealeth not with us according to our sins, 
nor rewardeth us according to our iniqui- 
ties ; but as the heavens are higher than 
the earth, so great is his goodness towards 
them that fear him. He hath never de- 
spised nor abhorred the affliction of the 
afflicted, neither hath he hid his face from 
him ; but when he cried unto him he 
heard. He is nigh unto all of them who 
call upon him ; to all who call upon him 
in truth, that those who mourn may be 
exalted in safety. 

Call upon me, saith the Lord, in the 
time of trouble, and I will deliver you, and 
you shall glorify me. I will set the poor 
in safety, and be a refuge for the op- 
pressed — a refuge in the time of trouble. 
When the poor and needy seek water, and 
there is none, and their tongue faileth for 
thirst, I, the Lord, will hear them. I, the 
God of Israel, will not forsake them. I 
will bring the blind by a way that they 
know not ; I will lead them in paths which 
they have not known ; I will make dark- 
ness light before them, and crooked things 
straight. These things will I do for 
250 



them, and will not forsake them. Yea, 
the mountains shall depart and the hills 
be removed, but my kindness shall not de- 
part from them ; neither shall the covenant 
of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, 
that hath mercy upon thee. 

Let not your heart then be troubled, 
neither let it be afraid; for if he hath 
torn, he will heal ; if he hath smitten, he 
will bind you up ; and your light afflic- 
tion which is but for a moment, shall work 
for you a far more exceeding and eternal 
weight of glory. Yea, trust in the Lord 
and fear not ; for the Lord Jehovah will 
be your strength and your song; yea, he 
will become your salvation. And under 
the shadow of his wings shall you abide in 
safety, till every calamity be overpassed. 

INVITATIONS TO THE SINNER. 

INCLINE your ear and come unto me, 
saith the Lord ; hear, and your soul 
shall live ; and I will make an everlasting 
covenant with you, even the sure mercies 
of David. I, even I, am he that blotteth 
out thy transgressions, and will not re- 
251 



member thy sins. I will blot out as a 
cloud thy transgressions ; return unto me, 
for I have redeemed thee. As I live, saith 
the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death 
of the wicked, but that the wicked turn 
from his way and live ; turn ye, turn ye 
from your wicked ways ; why will ye die ? 
Wash you, make you clean ; put away the 
evil of your doings ; cease to do evil, 
learn to do well. Have I any pleasure at 
all that the wicked should die, and that he 
should not turn from his ways and live? 
Repent ye, therefore ; cast away all your 
transgressions ; for I have no pleasure in 
your death. Though your sins be as 
scarlet, they shall be white as snow; 
though they be red like crimson, they 
shall be as wool. For my thoughts are 
not your thoughts, neither are my ways as 
your ways ; for as the heavens are higher 
than the earth, so are my ways higher 
than your ways, and my thoughts than 
your thoughts. 

If, therefore, the wicked will turn from 
all his transgressions that he hath com- 
mitted, and keep my statutes, and do that 
252 



which is lawful and right, he shall surely 
live, — he shall not die ; all his transgres- 
sions that he hath committed, they shall 
not be mentioned to him ; in the right- 
eousness he hath done, he shall live. Be- 
cause he considereth and turneth away 
from his transgressions that he hath com- 
mitted, he shall surely live ; he shall not 
die. Wherefore return, ye backsliding 
children, and I will heal your backslidings, 
and will make a covenant of peace with 
you, and it shall be an everlasting cov- 
enant. 

PROMISES OF PARDON TO THE PENITENT. 

IF we say that we have no sin, we de- 
ceive ourselves, and the truth is not in 
us; but if we confess our sins, God is 
faithful and just to' forgive us our sins, and 
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

Be it known unto you, therefore, that 
through Christ is preached unto you the 
forgiveness of sins. Behold the Lamb of 
God, that taketh away the sins of the 
world ! he shall save his people from their 
sins. Surely he was wounded for our 



transgressions ; he was bruised for our 
iniquities ; the chastisement of our peace 
was upon him; and with his stripes we 
are healed. The Lord hath laid upon 
him the iniquity of us all. He was made 
a sin-offering for us, that we might be 
made the righteousness of God in him. 

Now, if any man sin, we have an Advo- 
cate with the Father, even Jesus Christ 
the righteous; and he is the propitiation 
for our sins, and not for ours only, but 
also for the sins of the whole world. It is 
a faithful saying, and worthy of all ac- 
ceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the 
world to save sinners. And in this was 
manifested the love of God towards us, in 
that he sent his only-begotten Son into the 
world, that we might live through him. 
Herein is love; not that we loved God, 
but that be loved us, and sent his Son to 
be the propitiation for our sins. Now, if, 
when we were enemies, we were recon- 
ciled to God by the death of his Son, 
much more, being reconciled, we shall be 
saved by his life. There is, therefore, no 
condemnation to them who are in Christ ; 
254 



who walk not after the flesh, but after the 
Spirit. For God hath reconciled the 
world unto himself by Christ, — not im- 
puting their trespasses unto them. Where- 
fore, unto him that loved us, and hath 
washed us from our sins in his own blood, 
to him be glory and dominion forever and 
ever. Amen. 

PSALMS TO BE READ BEFORE OFFERING 
PRAYER. 

TO the Lord our God belong mercies 
and forgiveness, though we have re- 
belled against him. 

Neither have we obeyed the voice of 
the Lord our God, to walk in his laws 
which he set before us. 

He looketh upon men, and if any say, 
" I have sinned and perverted that which 
is right, and it profiteth me not, he will 
deliver his soul from going down into the 
pit, and his life shall see the light." 

For Christ once suffered for sins, the 
just for the unjust, that he might bring us 
to God ; being put to death in the flesh, 
but quickened by the Spirit ; 
255 



Who is gone into heaven, and is on the 
right hand of God ; angels, and authori- 
ties, and powers being made subject to 
him. 

Wherefore he is able to save them to the 
uttermost that come unto God by him, 
seeing he ever liveth to make intercession 
for them. 

For we have not an high priest that 
cannot be touched with a feeling of our 
infirmities, but was in all points tempted 
like as we are, yet without sin. 

Let us therefore come boldly to the 
throne of grace, that we may obtain mer- 
cy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

A SUPPLICATORY PSALM. 

HEAR our crying, O God ; give ear 
unto our prayers. 
From the ends of the earth will we call 
upon thee, when our hearts are in heavi- 
ness. 

The Lord will be a defence for the op- 
pressed ; even a refuge in due time of 
trouble. 

256 



And they that know thy name will put 
their trust in thee, for thou, Lord, hast 
never failed them that seek thee. 

Comfort the souls of thy servants ; for 
unto thee, O Lord, do we lift up our voice. 

For thou, Lord, art good and gracious, 
and of great mercy unto all them that call 
upon thee. 

Give ear, Lord, to our prayers, and 
ponder the voice of our humble desires. 

Remember us, O Lord, according to 
the favor thou bearest unto thy people, 
and visit us with thy salvation ; 

That we may see the felicity of thy 
chosen, and rejoice in the gladness of thy 
people, and give thanks with thine inher- 
itance. 

The Lord delivereth the souls of his 
servants, and all they that put their trust 
in him shall not be destitute. 

ANOTHER. 

IN thee, O Lord, have I put my trust ; 
let me never be put to confusion, but 
rid me and deliver me in thy righteous- 
ness ; incline thine ear unto me and save 
me. 

257 



Be thou my stronghold, whereunto I 
may always resort ; thou hast promised to 
help me, for thou art my house of defense 
and my castle. 

Hear my prayers, then, Lord, and 
consider my desire ; hearken unto me for 
thy truth and righteousness' sake. 

And enter not into judgment with thy 
servant ; for in thy sight shall no man 
living be justified. 

Call to remembrance, O Lord, thy ten- 
der mercies and thy loving kindness, 
which have been ever of old. O, remem- 
ber not the sins and offences of my youth ; 
but according to thy mercy, think upon 
me, O Lord, according to thy goodness. 

Help me, O God of my salvation, for 
the glory of thy name ; let thy loving kind- 
ness and thy truth always preserve me. 
Cast me not away in the time of trouble ; 
forsake me not when my strength faileth 
me. 

Thou art my helper and my Redeemer ; 
make no long tarrying, O my God. 



258 



From the 39th Psalm. 

LORD, let me know my end and the 
number of my days, that I may be 
certified how long I have to live. 

Behold, thou hast made our days as it 
were a span long, and mine age is even as 
nothing in respect to thee ; and verily, 
every man living is altogether vanity. 

For man walketh in a vain shadow, and 
disquieteth himself in vain ; he heapeth up 
riches, and cannot tell who shall gather 
them. 

And now, Lord, what is my hope? 
truly, my hope is even in thee. Deliver 
me from ail my offences, and make me 
not a rebuke unto the foolish. I became 
dumb, and opened not my mouth, for it 
was thy doing. Take thy plague away 
from me. I am even consumed by means 
of thy heavy hand. When thou with re- 
bukes dost chasten man for sin, thou 
makest his beauty to consume away, like 
as it were a moth fretting a garment ; 
every man, therefore, is but vanity. 
259 



Hear my prayer, O Lord, and with 
thine ears consider my calling ; hold not 
thy peace at my tears : for I am a 
stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all 
my fathers were. 

O, spare me a little, that I may recover 
my strength before I go hence, and be no 
more seen. 

PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE TO BE USED ON OC- 
CASION OF SAD AFFLICTION. 

NO. I. 

MAN that is born of woman is of few 
days and full of trouble. He cometh 
forth as a flower, and is cut down • he 
fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth 
not. His days are determined ; the num- 
ber of his months are with thee, Lord ; 
thou hast appointed his bounds, that he 
cannot pass. 

As a cloud is consumed and vanisheth 
away, so he that goeth down to the grave 
shall come up no more. He shall return 
no more to his house ; neither shall his 
place know him any more. 
260 



I have said to corruption, " Thou art 
my father; and to the worm, Thou art 
my mother and my sister." All flesh 
shall perish together, and man shall turn 
again to dust. They shall lie down alike 
in the dust, and the worms shall cover 
them. They shall go down to the bars of 
the pit, and rest together in the dust. 

There the wicked cease from troubling, 
and there the weary be at rest. There 
the prisoners rest together ; they hear not 
the voice of the oppressor. The small 
and the great are there, and the servant is 
free from his master. 

But thy dead men shall live ; together 
with my dead body shall they arise. For I 
know that my Redeemer liveth, and that 
he shall stand at the latter day upon the 
earth. And though after my skin worms 
destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I 
see God, whom I shall see for myself, and 
not another. 

Blessed are the dead which die in the 
Lord from henceforth. Yea, saith the 
Spirit, that they may rest from their labors. 

261 



No. 2. 

LORD, thou hast been our refuge from 
one generation to another. Before 
the mountains were brought forth, or ever 
the earth and the world were made, thou 
art God from everlasting, and world with- 
out end. Thou turnest man to destruc- 
tion ; again thou sayest, Come again, ye 
children of men. For a thousand years in 
thy sight are but as yesterday; seeing 
that it is past as a watch in the night. As 
soon as thou scatterest them, they are 
even as a sleep, and fade away suddenly 
as the grass. In the morning it is green, 
and groweth up ; in the evening it is cut 
down, and dried up, and withered. For 
we consume away in thy displeasure, and 
are afraid at thy wrathful indignation. 
Thou hast set our misdeeds before thee, 
and our secret sins in the light of thy 
countenance. For when thou art angry, 
all our days are gone ; we bring our years 
to an end, as it were a tale that is told. 
The days of our age are threescore years 
and ten ; and though men be so strong 
262 



that they come to fourscore years, yet is 
their strength then but labor and sorrow ; 
so soon passeth it away, and we are gone. 
But who regardeth the power of thy wrath ? 
for even thereafter as a man feareth, so is 
thy displeasure. So teach us to number 
our days, that we may apply our hearts to 
wisdom. 

No. 3. 

SHALL we receive good at the hand of 
the Lord, and shall we not receive 
evil ? The Lord gave, and the Lord hath 
taken away ; blessed be the name of the 
Lord. 

I would not have you ignorant, breth- 
ren, concerning them which are asleep, 
that ye sorrow not as others which have 
no hope. For the trumpet shall sound, 
and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, 
and we shall be changed. For this cor- 
ruptible must put on incorruption, and 
this mortal must put on immortality. So, 
when this corruptible shall have put on 
incorruption, and this mortal shall have 
put on immortality, then shall be brought 
263 



to pass the saying that is written, "Death 
is swallowed up in victory." 

O death, where is thy sing ? O grave, 
where is thy victory ? The sting of death 
is sin, and the strength of sin is the law ; 
but thanks be to God who giveth us the 
victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye 
steadfast, immovable, always abounding 
in the work of the Lord ; forasmuch as ye 
know that your labor is not in vain in the 
Lord. 

No. 4. 

I WOULD not have you ignorant breth- 
ren concerning them which are asleep, 
that ye sorrow not even as others which 
have not hope. For if we believe that 
Jesus died and rose again, even so them 
also which sleep in Jesus will God bring 
with him. For the Lord himself shall de- 
scend from heaven with the voice of the 
archangel, and with the trump of God, 
and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 
Then we, which are alive and remain shall 
be caught up together with them in the 
264 



clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and 
so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

For the Lord Jesus Christ shall change 
our vile body, that it may be fashioned 
like unto his glorious body, according to 
the working whereby he is able to subdue 
all things unto himself. 

Wherefore, beloved, comfort yourselves 
with these words. 



No. i. 

MY Friend : Laid as you now are on a 
sick bed, it is some consolation to 
know that your illness has not happened 
by chance ; but that it is the appointment 
of God, — of a wise and good God, — and 
that he has ordered it for wise and salu- 
tary purposes. He takes no pleasure in 
afflicting any of his creatures, but, on the 
contrary delights in their happiness ; and 
were it not that they stood in need of dis- 
cipline of the kind, he would not afflict 
them as he does. " God," says the apos- 
265 



tie, " does not willingly afflict or grieve 
the children of men ; but doeth it only for 
their good, that they may be partakers 
of his holiness." He treats them as a 
wise and kind parent treats his children, 
and withholds not correction from them 
when they stand in need of it. " Whom 
the Lord loveth he correcteth ; even as a 
father a child in whom he delighteth." 
His corrections are medicinal, and de- 
signed for wholesome purposes. For 
though many are the afflictions of his 
children, they have nothing pe?ial in them ; 
but are merely like the fire to the gold, 
and pruning to the vine, and medicine to 
the patient, and correction to the child. 
By means of them he would qualify his 
people, not only for the more comfortable 
enjoyment of the present life, but for the 
fruition of that eternal state of happiness 
which he has in reserve for them hereafter. 
" Our light afflictions," saith the apostle, 
" work for us a far more exceeding and 
eternal weight of glory." Be resigned 
therefore, to the will of God ; seeing he 
doeth all things wisely, and that he hath 
266 



promised "to make all things work to- 
gether for our good." And be concerned 
to have this present sickness of your body 
sanctified to your spiritual benefit, and to 
derive from it that improvement which it 
is obviously intended to promote. By so 
doing, you will have reason to be thank- 
ful for it, and like the Psalmist to say, " It 
is good for me that I have been afflicted. " 
(See 161st Hymn.) 

No. 2. 

MY Friend : Afflictive dispensations, 
however painful to the body and dis- 
tressing to the mind, are gracious visita- 
tions designed of God to promote our 
spiritual benefit. They afford opportuni- 
ties for solemn thought, holy meditation, 
serious inquiry, important reflection, and 
faithful self-examination. By them we are 
reminded of our dependence upon God ; 
that life and health are at his disposal, 
and that it is an easy thing for him to 
bring us down to the dust of death. 
When rightly exercised, the mind under 
their influence is humbled, the heart is 
267 



softened, the will brought into submission, 
and a teachableness of disposition pro- 
duced. They call into exercise, faith, pa- 
tience, submission, prayer, and every 
Christian grace and virtue ; and not only 
make us better acquainted with God and 
the preciousness of his promises, but also 
serve to make us better acquainted with 
ourselves, to wean us from the world and 
from sin, and to make us humble and 
holy. By them numbers have been 
brought to repent of their sinful conduct, 
and to live sober, righteous, and holy 
lives. Blessed is the man, says David, 
whom the Lord correcteth. And he him- 
self hath left it on record, "that it was 
good for him that he had been afflicted." 
And thousands have since expressed the 
same sentiment. As evidences of their 
salutary benefit, many instances might be 
adduced. Three only will here be men- 
tioned. 

A young man, who had been long con- 
fined with a diseased limb, and was near 
his death, was attended by a friend, who 
requested that the wound might be un- 
268 



covered. When this was done, " There," 
said he, " there it is, and a most precious 
treasure it has been to me ; it saved me 
from the folly and vanity of youth ; it 
made me cleave to God as my only por- 
tion, and to eternal glory as my only hope ; 
and I think it has now brought me very 
near my Father's house." 

When a distinguished individual lay 
sick, and his friends asked him how he 
did, he pointed to his sores and ulcers, and 
said, " These are God's gems and jewels, 
wherewith he decketh his best friends; 
and to me they are more precious than all 
the gold and silver in the world." 

It is said of Dr. Watts, that from his 
most early infancy to his dying day, he 
scarcely ever knew what health was ; yet 
we are told that he looked upon this af- 
fliction as the greatest blessing of his life. 
And the reason he assigned for it was, 
" that being naturally of a warm temper 
and ambitious disposition, these visitations 
weaned his affections from the world, and 
brought every passion in subjection to the 
divine will." 

269 



Thus have many had reason to bless God 
for afflictions, as being the instruments in 
his hand of promoting the welfare of their 
immortal souls. 

Be not disquieted, then, by your present 
affliction ; but endeavor to bear it calmly 
and patiently, and to derive from it that 
spiritual improvement which it is designed 
to promote. Pray earnestly to God to 
sanctify it to your good, and to make it 
the means of purifying your heart, and of 
qualifying you for the enjoyment of his 
presence hereafter. Recollect, that it is 
in this way that he prepares his people for 
his presence, and that it is through much 
tribulation that they enter into his king- 
dom. 

" The path of sorrow, and that path alone, 
Leads to the land where sorrow is unknown ; 
No traveller e'er reached that blest abode 
Who found not thorns and briers in the road." 

Better is it to suffer a little while now, 
than to be left to ourselves and condemned 
with the world hereafter. And for your 
comfort bear in mind, that you shall " not 
be afflicted above your strength," nor any 
270 



longer than God sees good for you. For 
though now in the furnace of affliction, 
the Savior is not absent from you. He 
sees you; and not only so, but sits by 
you and tempers the flame. His wisdom 
will not let it be too cool. His love will 
not allow it to exceed the necessary de- 
gree of warmth. As soon as you are puri- 
fied — as soon as the end is accomplished 
for which this affliction was designed — he 
will then remove it ; he will then take you 
out of the furnace. Strive then so to act 
that you may come forth purified and re- 
fined like as gold and silver, reflecting the 
image of your Savior in your renewed 
character; and then will this your light 
affliction of a moment work for you an 
exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 
" In the furnace God may prove thee, 

Thence to bring thee forth more bright ; 
But can never cease to love thee ; 

Thou art precious in his sight. 
God is with thee — 

God, thine everlasting light." 



No. 3. 

MY Friend : God has now laid you 
upon this bed of sickness that you 
might be withdrawn from the bustle of the 
world, and have an opportunity of reflect- 
ing on your spiritual condition, and of at- 
tending to the things that concern your 
eternal interests. It becomes you, then, 
to improve this opportunity, and to derive 
from it the benefit it is so well calculated 
to effect. Ask yourself, therefore, if you 
are prepared for the other world, — if you 
are prepared to stand in the presence of 
your Judge. Have you faithfully en- 
deavored to improve all the blessed privi- 
leges which God has bestowed upon you 
for this end? Have you made it your 
endeavor to live in obedience to his will, 
and to glorify him in all your conduct ? 
Have you loved him with all your heart ? 
and soul, and strength, and endeavored to 
please him in all things ? Have you never 
knowingly and wilfully committed sin? 
Permit conscience to speak while you en- 
deavor to recollect all the thoughts that 
272 



have occupied your mind ; all the words 
you have uttered; all the actions you 
have done. Do they all correspond with 
the law of God ? What does conscience 
reply to this investigation? Will it not 
pass sentence against you ? Reflect for a 
moment. To whom has your youth been 
devoted? Was it not to the world? And 
where is the good you have done ? where 
is the glory you have given to God ? O 
my friend, your conscience will urge you to 
confess, that you have often sinned against 
God by transgressing his laws. If so, 
then acknowledge the conviction of your 
conscience. Consider that you have to 
do with that God who can see the inner- 
most recesses of the soul; before whom 
all things are naked and open, and from 
whom nothing can be concealed ; who has 
heard all the sinful words you have spoken ; 
who knows all the secret, evil desires you 
have cherished in your heart ; who is ac- 
quainted with all the ways in which you 
have walked; who has observed all the 
actions you have done through life. Yes, 
my friend, confess yourself a sinner, — a 
273 



poor miserable sinner, — and let tears of 
sorrow accompany the grateful emotions 
of your heart, that God, who might have 
justly cut you off in your sins, has spared 
you till the present moment. Be thankful 
that now — even now — he is making over- 
tures of mercy. Look upon this affliction 
as an evidence of the divine goodness, in- 
tended to secure your salvation. Humble 
yourself before God, and pray, with fervor 
and sincerity of soul, that he will show you 
the sinfulness of your heart, and that, in 
view of the same, you may be able to ex- 
ercise that godly sorrow which worketh re- 
pentance unto salvation. Pray, too, for a 
saving interest in the blood of Jesus, that 
so your sins may be pardoned and your 
guilt removed ; that you may be clothed 
with his righteousness, and be reconciled 
to God. O, yield obedience to the influ- 
ence of his Spirit, that God may accom- 
plish his benevolent purpose with respect 
to you. Be astonished at the boundless 
love of God, and at the infinite compassion 
of your Redeemer, and behold in that love 
your only ground of hope, that God has 
274 



no pleasure in your death; and in this 
compassion, that Christ has purchased 
grace and salvation for you. Avail your- 
self of your precious privilege while you 
have an opportunity to do so, and betake 
yourself to the refuge provided for you in 
the gospel. Delay not to do so one mo- 
ment longer. Follow this advice, which 
is given with no other view than to pro- 
mote your everlasting welfare. Then will 
your soul enjoy rest ; yea, a peace which 
passeth all understanding. While you 
live, you will live happy ■ and when you 
die, you will depart with a comfortable 
hope of a blissful immortality. 

No. 4. 

MY Friend: As it hath pleased the 
Lord to call you to repentance by 
this present sickness, it becomes you to 
take this dispensation into serious consid- 
eration. I know that you do not deny 
that you are a sinner. I know that you 
are not indifferent to the voice of your 
conscience, while it is urging you to this 
acknowledgment. I know that you feel 
275 



distressed in view of your sins ; and that 
you are disposed to fly for refuge to the 
grace of God and the merits of Christ. 
But whence comes this anguish of your 
soul ? From fear of death ? Suppose 
your health had been preserved; would 
you have thought of your sins and been 
sorrowful ? Ah, my friend, if your present 
sickness and the apprehension of death be 
the cause of your sorrow, your repentance 
is not genuine. The true cause of your 
grief should be founded in having offended 
the God of love, and in having slighted 
Christ's precious redemption. Therefore 
examine the cause of your grief, that you 
be not deceived. I know that Christ and 
his merits are valuable in your estimation ; 
but does the love of Jesus constrain you to 
hate sin, to renounce every evil practice, 
and to devote your life to his service ? 
Does the grace of God teach you practi- 
cally to deny all ungodliness and worldly 
lusts? and is it your intention to live 
soberly, righteously, and godly in the 
present world ? My dear friend, answer 
these questions as in the presence of God. 
276 



We know from sad experience that many, 
having escaped from their sick bed, have 
returned to their former habits, and walked 
in their sinful ways. Thus, by their con- 
duct, they exhibited the mournful evidence 
that their repentance was not sincere. 
Now, should you deceive yourself in this 
matter, this deception might be to you 
the cause of everlasting sorrow. True re- 
pentance implies a change of heart, and 
a thorough reformation of life. The man 
who is really converted abhors all sin, and 
feels an ardent desire to devote himself 
entirely to the service of God and the 
promotion of the Redeemer's cause. 
Therefore, I again say, examine yourself 
impartially, that you may ascertain your 
sincerity before God, and the genuine 
character of your convictions. And rest 
not short of the real, substantial, and un- 
deniable evidences of that conversion 
which the Savior requires ; knowing that 
they who thus seek God sincerely, in his 
own appointed way, shall find him to be, 
in their own experience, the God of their 
salvation. What God principally requires 
277 



is sincerity. If the sinner is but sincere, 
is anxious to be converted, submits to all 
the known requirements of the gospel, 
really hates sin, and earnestly desires to 
be devoted to God, — with such repent- 
ance the Lord is well pleased ; for he 
looketh at the heart. 

The following will serve to illustrate the 
character of true conversion : 

God brought a gentleman of distinction 
on his sick bed, whose example had a visi- 
ble and powerful influence upon the lives 
of many others. He had led many astray 
by his wicked example. His pastor found 
him in a state of total indifference and in- 
sensibility. Having spoken to him in a 
lively and affecting manner of the great 
duty of glorifying God, and of the numer- 
ous opportunities which the Lord had af- 
forded him of doing good to his fellow- 
men, the pastor proceeded to a close ex- 
amination of his heart, when he cast down 
his eyes, overwhelmed with shame, and 
cried aloud, " Lord, what an odious sinner 
lies here !" He then gave him some di- 
rections about what he should pray for, 
278 



and particularly for a lively knowledge of 
his sins, and then left him. In a few hours 
after this he was again sent- for. Grace 
had now arrested him in a peculiar man- 
ner. He wrung his hands, cried aloud, 
denounced his whole life, sent for all those 
whom he had misled, spoke to them in a 
very affecting and impressive manner, and 
showed them, by his own example, that 
the ways of sin were uneasiness of heart, 
torment of soul, and rackings of con- 
science. How he wished he could recall 
every hour of his former life, that he might 
spend them more properly! Having 
striven and wrestled a long time, God at 
length granted him peace ; for he ardently 
hungered and thirsted after the righteous- 
ness of Christ. He obtained the assur- 
ance of the pardon of all his sins. A few 
days after, having passed through many 
trials, but not suffering anything to es- 
trange him from the grace of God in 
Christ Jesus, he bade adieu to the world, 
and entered into glory. His pastor evi- 
dently perceived that grace had discovered 
to him his most secret sins, and that 
279 



those which formerly appeared to him 
very trifling, caused him great uneasiness 
and concern. 

No. 5. 

MY Friend : If you have examined 
your past life sincerely and impar- 
tially, as in the presence of God, your 
own conscience will convince you of the 
necessity of humbling yourself before God, 
while you will stand self-condemned in his 
presence. God requires of those who 
would obtain an interest in his mercy to be 
sincere ; that they may not flatter nor de- 
ceive themselves, nor endeavor to cloak 
their sins. Hence, like David, they will 
pray for an upright heart: "Search me, 
O God, and know my heart ; try me, and 
know my thoughts, and see if there be any 
wicked way in me, and lead me in the 
way everlasting." Thus you will be dis- 
posed to pray, if your conversion to God 
is sincere. In no case is deception more 
dangerous than in this momentous con- 
cern. In the eternal world this deception 
cannot be corrected. Therefore be thank - 
280 



ful, my friend, that God has added an- 
other day to your existence, and so im- 
prove it that you may work out your sal- 
vation. Collect now your thoughts, and 
reflect sincerely on the whole of your past 
life, and your own conscience will charge 
you with sins at which you will be 
alarmed. You will be grieved for having 
known the will of God, and yet not 
having done it. You will be grieved on 
account of your ingratitude to God, your 
kind Benefactor, for his numerous and 
great mercies. You will be grieved for 
the insensibility and security in which you 
have lived ; for having devoted so much 
of your time to the world, and so little to 
God. And not only will you be sensibly 
affected on account of your sinfulness, but 
the grace of God will be esteemed pre- 
cious to you. Yes, if truly penitent, you 
will earnestly seek, and truly improve it to 
the salvation of your soul. You will be 
grateful that God is still good, and merci- 
ful, and gracious ; and your sick bed will 
be to you a most instructive school of wis- 
dom. How sincerely, how humbly will 



you confess your sins to God, and with 
what sincerity you will seek his pardoning 
mercy ! How sweet will those words of 
life be to you, " This is a faithful saying, 
and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ 
Jesus came into the world to save sin- 
ners !" O, how precious will Christ cru- 
cified, his meritorious suffering and death, 
be to you ! How humbly will you believe 
in his name ! And with what anxious so- 
licitude will you appropriate to yourself 
the blessings of his salvation ! Yes, then ' 
will you form the sincere and unalterable 
determination to submit to God uncondi- 
tionally, and to devote the residue of your 
life to his service. Are these your resolu- 
tions ? and is such the character of your 
feelings and dispositions ? If so, you 
have reason to thank God for his good- 
ness to you, in sanctifying this affliction to 
your spiritual benefit. 

No. 6. 

MY Friend: The salvation offered to 
you in the gospel is just what you 
stand in need of. You cannot save your- 

2S2 



self, nor blot out your own sins, nor 
change your own heart, nor snatch your- 
self from the pit of woe, nor raise it to 
eternal life. But the gospel makes known 
to you a Savior, who has come to do all 
this. "Unto you is born a Savior." And 
how welcome should a Savior be to you ! 
Were you in prison, how welcome would 
be liberty ! Were you in slavery, how 
welcome would be a deliverer ! But here 
is a Savior from a load of sin, and from 
the reign of iniquity, and from the remorse 
of conscience, and from the wrath of God, 
and from eternal punishment ; a Savior, 
whose love flows, as it were, in streams of 
blood divine ; and who is ever ready to 
extend mercy to the penitent. To the 
pardoned soul he gives present peace, and 
the love of God, and the glories of eternity. 
The Savior is an almighty Savior. He 
is equal to the tasks he undertakes ; he 
came to conquer death and Satan ; to open 
heaven, and people it from earth ; and he 
will do what he has undertaken to per- 
form. He gives promises that none but a 
God can give, and will fulfill every prom- 
2S3 



ise. On him millions have leaned, and no 
one has ever failed that "trusted in him. 
There are no sins that he cannot blot out, 
and no hearts so hard that he cannot 
soften, none so unworthy that he cannot 
welcome them, and none so weak that he 
cannot help them to heaven. Are not 
the tidings of such a Savior good tidings — 
tidings of great joy to you ? 

Were you told of an almighty Savior, 
but had cause to doubt his compassion and 
love, the tidings would not be so agreea- 
ble. But this Savior can have compas- 
sion, and is full of love. Go to the man- 
ger ; what laid him there but love ? Go 
to the garden of Gethsemane ; what 
caused him to endure its agonies and the 
bloody sweat but love ? Go to Calvary ; 
what made him bear his cross and die 
upon it but love ? Hearken to his prom- 
ises : " Come unto me, all ye that labor 
and are heavy laden, and I will give you 
rest. Him that cometh unto me I will in 
no wise cast out. Verily, verily, I say 
unto you, He that heareth my word and 
believeth on him that sent me, hath ever- 
284 



lasting life \ and shall not come into con- 
demnation, but is passed from death unto 
life." What speak these words but love ? 
Go to facts in his conduct. Behold the 
penitent woman, weeping at his feet. 
What is his language to her? Go in 
peace ; thy sins are forgiven thee j thy 
faith hath saved thee. Is not this the lan- 
guage of love ? See the widow of Ca- 
naan ; she entreats his aid for her afflicted 
daughter ; he seems to turn a deaf ear to 
her, but it is that her faith may shine more 
conspicuously, and at length he says, " O 
woman, great is thy faith \ be it unto thee 
even as thou wilt." What spoke these 
words but love ? O my friend, as there 
are no sins so vile that he cannot blot 
them out, so there are none so aggravated 
that he is unwilling to take their load 
away. As there are none so unworthy 
that he cannot help them, so there are 
none that he is unwilling to help. Who- 
soever cometh unto him shall not come in 
vain, provided he only come with the tem- 
per and disposition of the returning prodi- 



Yes, my friend, if, with an humble and 
contrite heart, you seek pardoning grace, 
be assured, on all that is true and solemn 
in the gospel, that you will not seek in 
vain. No sins, however great, no guilt, 
however aggravated, shall prevent the 
penitent's salvation. "He that cometh 
unto me," says he, "I will in no wise 
cast out." He is able to save to the ut- 
termost all them that come unto God by 
him. 

All the blessings of salvation you may 
have freely and fully. All the fitness re- 
quired is to feel your need of him, and to 
be cordially willing to receive and serve 
him. You must come to him just as you 
are, with all your sins upon you. Imitate 
the conduct of the publican and the prod- 
igal. Think of those charged with having 
crucified the Lord of glory, as recorded in 
the book of Acts. The same day which 
saw them broken-hearted penitents be- 
held them rejoicing disciples. This was 
the case also with the jailer. In these 
cases, there was no preparation requisite ; 
but a feeling of guilt, and a willingness to 
286 



embrace the Savior. And just so free, 
my friend, is salvation to you, and to be 
enjoyed in the same way ; by faith in the 
Lord Jesus Christ — a faith which humbly 
relies upon him, and includes the surren- 
der of soul and body to him. 

Read the 143d Hymn, "Jesus, Savior 
of my soul." 

Read the 130th Hymn, " Peace, troubled 
soul, whose," &c. 



^tgjcjellattBJOUS* 

The following, on the first several pages, are in- 
serted for the comfort and encouragmeent of 
those who are actively engaged in the works of 
charily and benevolence. 

BLESSED is the man that provideth 
for the poor and needy; the Lord 
will deliver him in the time of trouble. 

GOD is not unrighteous, that he will for- 
get your work and labor, that pro- 
ceedeth of love ; which love ye have 
shown for his name's sake, who have min- 
istered to the saints, and yet do minister. 
287 



THE poor shall never cease out of the 
land ; therefore I command thee, 
saith the Lord, Thou shalt open thine 
hand wide unto thy brother, to the poor 
and to the needy of the land. Thou shalt 
not harden thine heart, nor shalt thou 
shut thine hand from thy poor brother: 
but thou shalt surely give unto him in the 
day of his need, because that for this the 
Lord will bless thee in all thy works. 

THERE is no school in which to learn 
the practice of virtue with such fa- 
cility as in the exercise of benevolence. 
Those who are most truly benevolent are 
making the swiftest advances in "that 
holiness without which no man shall see 
the Lord ; " and are rising in imitation of 
Him who went about doing good. Let 
us delight, then, to imitate his example. 

Scripture is full of the high rewards to 
be bestowed on the good and benevolent ; 
assuring us that they who have done good 
shall enter into life everlasting; not of 
merit, indeed, but of grace. And these 
rewards include peace and consolation of 
288 



soul in the present life, the future vision 
of God, and the full enjoyment of holi- 
ness and perfect bliss. To all who have 
endeavored to be useful upon earth, he 
will say, " Well done, good and faithful 
servants ! enter into the joy of your Lord." 
O the unspeakable blessedness of giving, 
in that day, when he will reward them all 
according to their works ! When the right- 
eous will find that all their virtues have 
vegetated, and brought forth abundant 
fruit, what joy and blessedness shall take 
possession of their souls ! But they have 
performed these actions with reference to 
the glory of God, and with a desire to 
please him. " Eye hath not seen, nor 
ear heard, neither have entered into the 
heart of man, the things which God hath 
prepared for them who have thus loved 
him." 

IT is only by keeping the Savior's suf- 
ferings in view that the Christian can 
truly practice charity to others, or exercise 
self-denial to himself. 

289 







UR opportunities to do good are our 
talents. 



GIVE alms of thy goods, and never turn 
thy face from any poor man ; and 
then the face of the Lord shall never be 
turned away from thee. 

IT is Christ's plan, that there should in 
every age and place be poor persons 
and poor Christians as his representatives, 
in order to make trial of the love and 
faith of his disciples, that whenever they 
will they may relieve them for his sake. 

GRACE, like the widow's oil, increases 
by being charitably imparted. 

WHAT we admire, and what we ought 
to admire, in man, is that collection 
of fine feelings which make a human crea- 
ture social and useful. Sympathy and 
fellow-feeling, tenderness of heart and pity 
for the wretched, compassion for his 
neighbors, and reverence for his God ; the 
melting eye, the soothing, silvery tone, 
the benevolent expression of countenance, 
290 



the rapid actions of the soul, — all pene- 
trated with reason and religion, — these 
are the qualities that we admire in him. 
O, I love the man that must and will do 
good; the sympathizing Christian, who 
eagerly embraces every opportunity to 
comfort and relieve his fellow-creatures ; 
who hastens to the bed of sickness and 
pain ; imparts to his fellow-Christian, 
however humble and obscure his condi- 
tion, the blessed consolations of religion, 
smooths his dying pillow, and does what 
he can to relieve the burden of his grief. 
Peace and blessedness to such a one. He 
also must one day lie on the bed of sick- 
ness and death ; and then will the Lord 
strengthen and comfort him, and make 
all his bed in his sickness. 

Blest is the man whose softening heart 

Feels all another's pain ; 
To whom the supplicating eye 

Is never raised in vain ; 

Whose breast responds with generous warmth 

A stranger's woe to feel ; 
Who weeps in pity o'er the wound 

He wants the power to heal. 
291 



To gentle offices of love 

His feet are never slow ; 
He views, through mercy's melting eye, 

A brother, in a foe. 

To him protection shall be shown, 

And mercy from above 
Descend on those who thus fulfill 

The Christian law of love. 

ALL our works of piety and charity 
must spring from love to God ; grati- 
tude to him for the blessings of redemp- 
tion j unreserved surrender of ourselves to 
his service, and a disposition to delight in 
doing his will, and ascribing to him all the 
power and glory. Such good works are 
" spiritual sacrifices," acceptable to God 
through Jesus Christ. The Lord delights 
to honor those who thus honor him. He 
remembers and records their expressions 
of faith and love. In this world, he com- 
munes with them from his mercy seat, by 
answering their prayers and comforting 
their hearts ; and he will, at the day of 
judgment, publish to the assembled uni- 
verse, distinctly and particularly, the fruits 
of holiness, which, by his grace, they pro- 
292 



duced on earth, as evincing them to be 
the heirs of "the kingdom prepared for 
his people from the foundation of the 
world." 

AT the day of judgment, it will be found 
that peculiar coronets have been pre- 
pared for eminent saints. 

THE Christian should value this life as 
an opportunity of honoring God, both 
by living according to his will, and by do- 
ing as much good as possible to his fellow- 
creatures, and " especially to those who 
are of the household of faith." 

"/^HARGE them who are rich in this 
\j world, that they be ready to give and 
glad to distribute, laying up in store for 
themselves a good foundation against the 
time to come, that they may attain eter- 
nal life." 

" Be merciful after thy power. If thou 
hast much, give plenteously ; if thou hast 
little, do thy diligence gladly to give of 
that little ; for so gatherest thou for thy- 
self a good reward in the day of necessity." 
293 



"He that soweth little shall reap little; 
and he that soweth plenteously shall reap 
plenteously. God loveth a cheerful giver." 

"He that hath pity upon the poor 
lendeth to the Lord ; and look, what he 
payeth out, it shall be paid him again." 

THE expense incurred in making the 
heart of the poor and destitute to re- 
joice, will be a source of heartfelt joy and 
satisfaction to the Christian ; so much so, 
that he will desire to be rich in good 
works ; ready to distribute, and willing to 
communicate in whatever can glorify God, 
and do good to mankind. 

IN proportion as faith and love prevail, 
they will triumph over the selfishness 
of the heart, and dispose it to be generous 
and kind. 

" INASMUCH AS YE HAVE DONE IT 
1 UNTO ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE, 
YE HAVE DONE IT UNTO ME." 

It is impossible that language can ex- 
press greater encouragement to self-deny- 
ing, assiduous, laborious, and expensive 

294 



charity to poor Christians, for the sake of 
our common Lord, than that which is 
contained in the above declaration. 

As none but believers are the brethren 
of Christ, so love to Christ must be the 
motive of the liberality and kindness here 
spoken of. 

IF we would possess a good hope that 
Christ will address us as" the blessed 
of his Father," and invite us to sit at his 
right hand, we must now recognize our 
Savior as disguised under the mean attire 
of his beloved disciples and brethren upon 
earth. When we see a believer hungry, 
thirsty, a stranger, or in want of proper 
clothing, we should imagine that our Savior 
himself stands before us ; requires us to 
own our relation to him, and calls upon 
us to give him food, or raiment, or to pro- 
vide him a lodging • we should ask our- 
selves whether we can feel in our hearts to 
drive him from our door. And when we 
hear of pious persons being sick, or in 
prison, and wanting advice, attendance, 
or other relief, we should suppose that 
295 



Jesus was in these circumstances, and 
sends to us byname to come and minister 
to him. Let us, then, renounce our own 
ease, interest, convenience, and indul- 
gence, and abound in this work of faith 
and labor of love ; and should we ever be 
mistaken in the character of those for 
whom we thus deny ourselves, from love 
to Christ, he will certainly accept and 
recompense our services.* Those actions 
which the believer thought nothing of at 
the time, and soon entirely forgot, as well 
as those which were concealed from men, 
will all be brought to light, and graciously 
recompensed ; not a crust of bread, or a 
cup of water, given for his sake to a poor 
brother, will pass unnoticed. 



A 



CHARITY. 

H Christian ! if the needy poor 
Have e'er unheeded been, 
Beware lest at thy closed door 
The Savior stood unseen. 



Let heart and house be open thrown, 
Thy gifts with others share ; 

Let holy charity be shown 
To all who need thy care. 
296 



Then, while thy glance abroad is cast, 

The Lord is by thy side : 
For through the open door He passed, 

Because it was so wide. 

And ere thine beating heart can guess 

Who entered by the door, 
His gracious hands are raised to bless 

Thy basket and thy store ; 

To bless thee all time's little day, 

With His almighty love : 
To bless the long eternity 

That waits for thee above — 

Where soon the pearly gates, which stand, 

To all He'll open throw, 
Who, for Hi? sake, with willing hand, 

Didst minister below. 

CHARITY. 

IN the hour of keenest sorrow, 
In the hour of deepest woe, 
Wait not for the coming morrow ; 

To the sad and suffering go. 
Make it thy sincerest pleasure 

To administer relief ; 
Freely opening thy treasure, 
To assuage a brother's grief. 

Go, seek the orphan, sighing ; 
Seek the widow in her tears ; 

297 



As on mercy's pinion flying, 
Go, dispel their darkest fears. 

Seek the stranger sad and weary, 
Pass not on the other side ; 

Though the task be lone and dreary, 
Heed thou not the scorn of pride. 

Go, with manners unassuming, 

In a meek and quiet way ; 
O'er the fallen ne'er presuming, 

Though thy brother sadly stray. 
'Tis a Savior's kind compassion, 

'Tis his righteousness alone, 
All unmerited salvation, 

That around thy path hath shone. 

When thy heart is warmly glowing 

With the sacred love of prayer ; 
By the works of kindness flowing, 

Not as with a miser's care. 
Duty e'er should be thy watchword, 

Pity drop the soothing tear ; 
Always toward the fallen cherish 

Sympathy and love sincere. 



AFFLICTIONS are God's most effect- 
ual means to keep us from losing our 
way to our heavenly rest. Without this 
hedge of thorns on the right hand and on 
the left, we should scarcely keep in the 
29S 



way to heaven. If there be but one gap 
open, how ready are we to find it, and 
turn out of it ! When we grow vain 
and worldly, how doth sickness and other 
affliction reduce us ! Every Christian, as 
well as Luther, may call affliction one of 
his best schoolmasters, and with David 
say, " Before I was afflicted I went astray, 
but now have I kept thy word." Many 
thousand recovered sinners may cry, " O, 
healthful sickness ! O, comfortable sor- 
rows ! O, painful losses ! O, enriching 
poverty ! O, blessed day that ever I was 
afflicted !" Not only the green pastures, 
but the rod and the staff, they comfort us. 
Though the rod and the staff" do the main 
work, yet suffering so unbolts the door of 
the heart, the word has easier entrance. 

Read the 161st Hymn, " Lord, unafflict- 
ed, undismayed." 

DESIGN OF AFFLICTION. 

i 'T^HEY are marks of God's love. 
1 God doth not willingly afflict, &c. 
Whom the Lord loveth, he correcteth. 
As many as I love. I rebuke and 
299 



chasten. Like as a father pitieth his 
children, so the Lord pitieth them that 
fear him. 
They are trials oifaithzxA obedience. 

Blessed is the man whom thou chas- 
teneth, O Lord, and teachest him out of 
thy law. Before I was afflicted I went 
astray, but now do I keep thy law. It 
is good for me that I was afflicted, that 
I might learn thy statutes. I know, O 
Lord, that thy judgments are right, and 
that thou in very faithfulness hast af- 
flicted me. 

He led them through the great and 
terrible wilderness, that he might prove 
them. 

Tribulation worketh patience. 

He chasteneth us, that the trial of 
our faith, being much more precious 
than gold, though it be tried with fire, 
might be found unto praise, and glory, 
and honor at the appearing of Jesus 
Christ. 

They are designed to make us partakers 
of God's holiness, and to make us more 
fruitful. 






He chasteneth us for our profit, that 
we may be partakers of his holiness. I 
am the true vine, and my Father is the 
husbandman. Every branch that bear- 
eth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may 
bring forth more fruit. Behold, I have 
refined thee, but not with silver. I 
have chosen thee in th.Q furnace of afflic- 
tion. 
4 They are designed to conform us to 
Christ, and to fit us for the rewards 
hereafter. 

" If we be dead with him, we shall 
also live with him, if we suffer with him, 
we shall also reign with him." " If 
children, then heirs, heirs of God and 
joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we 
suffer with him, that we may also be 
glorified together. For I reckon that 
the sufferings of the present time are 
not worthy to be compared with the 
glory which shall be revealed hereafter." 
For our light afflictions, which are but 
for a moment, work out for us a far 
more exceeding and eternal weight of 
glory. 



Blessed is the man that endure th 
temptation, for when he is tried, he shall 
receive a crown of life. 

We must, through much tribulation, 
enter into the kingdom of God. 

Those now before the throne of God 
"have come out of great tribulation." 

ON THE DUTIES OF THE AFFLICTED. 

ATTENTION and consideration. 
" In the day of adversity consider" 

Thus saith the Lord, " Consider your 
ways." " Hear ye the rod, and who 
hath appointed it." 

Happy is the man whom God cor- 
recteth ; therefore dispise not thou the 
chastening of the Almighty ; neither be 
weary of his correction, nor faint when 
thou art rebuked of him. Receive the 
law from his mouth, and lay up his 
words in thy heart. 

Confession of sin. Only acknowledge 
thine iniquity, that thou has transgressed 
against the Lord thy God. 

So did David — " I have sinned great- 
ly." 

302 



So did Jeremiah — " We have trans- 
gressed and rebelled," &c. 

So did Daniel — " We have sinned 
and committed iniquity," &c. 

3 Repentance. "O Israel, return unto 
the Lord thy God, for thou hast fallen 
by thine iniquity." 

" Return, ye backsliding children, and 
I will heal your backslidings." 

" Return ye now every one from his 
evil ways, and make your ways and 
your doings good." 

"Turn ye unto me with all your 
hearts ; with fasting, with weeping, and 
with mourning." 

4 Prayer. " Call upon me in the day of 
trouble, and I will deliver thee, and 
thou shalt glorify me." 

" Is any among you afflicted, let him 
pray." 

EXAMPLES OF PRAYER UNDER AFFLICTION. 



'D 



AVID. " In my distress, I called 
upon the Lord, and cried unto my 
God." 

303 



2 Hezekiah. "He turned his face to the 
wall, and prayed to the Lord." 

3 Manasseh. "He humbled himself 
greatly before the God of his fathers, 
and prayed unto him, and he was en- 
treated of him, and heard his supplica- 
tions." 

4 Daniel. "I set my face unto the Lord 
God, to seek by prayer and supplica- 
tion ; with fasting, and sackcloth, and 
ashes ; and I prayed unto the Lord my 
God, and made my confession." 

5 Paul. " For this thing [the thorn in 
the flesh] I besought the Lord thrice." 

6 Lastly, and above all, the example of 
our Savior, who, when his soul was ex- 
ceeding sorrowful even unto death, 
" offered up prayers and supplications, 
with strong crying and tears, unto Him 
who was able to save him from death, 
and was heard in that he feared." 

DUTY OF PATIENCE. 

" O EST in the Lord, and wait patiently 
l\ for him." . ..." Knowing this, that 
the trial of your faith worketh patience? 1 
304 



"And let patience have her perfect 
work ; that ye may be perfect and entire, 
wanting nothing." 

"In your patience, possess ye your 
souls." . . . . " Rejoicing in hope, patient in 
tribulation, continuing instant in prayer." 

" Take, my brethren, the prophets, who 
have spoken in the name of the Lord, for 
an example of suffering, affliction, and 
patience." "Ye have heard of the pa- 
tience of Job, and have seen the end of 
the Lord, that he is very pitiful and of 
tender mercy." 

" Strengthened with all might, accord- 
ing to his glorious power, unto b\\ patience 
and long-suffering with joyfulness." 

" We glory in you for your patience and 
faith § in all your persecutions and tribu- 
lations, that ye endure." 

DUTY OF RESIGNATION. 

"\\ 7E have had fathers of the flesh who 
VV corrected us; shall we not be in 

subjection to the Father of our spirits, and 

live ? " 

" Humble yourself under the mighty 
305 



hand of God .... Casting all your care 
upon him, for he careth for you. Cast 
thy burden on the Lord, and he will sus- 
tain thee. He will never suffer the right- 
eous to be moved. Commit thy way unto 
the Lord, and trust also in him, and he 
shall bring it to pass." 

EXAMPLES OF RESIGNATION. 

i T OB. " Shall we receive good at the 

I hand of the Lord, and shall we not 

receive evil ? The Lord gave, and the 

Lord hath taken away ; blessed be the 

name of the Lord." 

2 Aaron. " And Aaron held his peace." 

3 Eli. " Let him do what seemeth him 
good." 

4 David. " Behold, here I am ; let him 
do to me as seemeth good to him." 

5 " Our Lord. Thy will be done." 



"T T 7HY art thou cast down, O my soul? 

VV Hope thou in God." 

" Our fathers hoped va thee ; they trusted 
in thee, and thou didst deliver them." 

306 



" The Lord is my portion, saith my 
soul; therefore will I hope in him." 

RELIANCE ON THE DIVINE PROMISES FOR 
SUPPORT. 

"T)E not afraid; only believe." 

13 " They that know thy name will put 
their trust in thee ; for thou, Lord, hast 
never forsaken them that seek thee. The 
righteous cry, and the Lord heareth and 
delivereth them. Many are the afflictions 
of the righteous ; but the Lord delivereth 
them out of all. Cast thy burden upon 
the Lord, and he will sustain thee. He 
will never suffer the righteous to be moved. 
For the Lord will not cast off forever; 
but, though he cause grief, yet will he have 
compassion according to the multitude of 
his tender mercies. There hath no temp- 
tation happened to you, but such as is 
common to man ; for God is faithful, who 
will not suffer you to be tempted above 
that ye are able ; but will, with the temp- 
tation, make a way to escape, that ye may 
be able to bear it. His grace is sufficient 
307 



for you, and his strength is made perfect 
in weakness." 

EXAMPLES OF FIRM RELIANCE ON GOD IN 
AFFLICTIONS. 

i JOB. "Though he slay me, yet will 
I I trust in him." 
"I know that my Redeemer liveth ; 
and that," &c. 

2 David. " The Lord is my light and my 
salvation; whom shall I fear? The 
Lord is the strength of my life ; of 
whom shall I be afraid ? Though a 
host should encamp against me, my 
heart shall not fear ; for in the time of 
trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion ; 
in the secret of his tabernacle he shall 
hide me ; he shall set me upon a rock." 
" What time I am afraid I will trust 
in thee. In God I have put my trust. 
I will not fear what man can do unto 
me. My soul, wait thou only upon 
God, for my expectation is from him. 
He only is my rock and my salvation ; 
I shall not be moved. The rock of my 
strength and of my refuge is in God." 
308 



"Thou art my hiding-place; thou 
shalt preserve me from trouble ; thou 
shalt compass me about with songs of 
deliverance." 

" My flesh and my heart faileth • but 
God is the strength of my heart, and my 
portion forever. Thou art my hiding- 
place and my shield. I hope in thy 
word." 

" Yea, though I walk through the 
valley of the shadow of death, I will 
fear no evil, for thou art with me ; thy 
rod and thy staff, they comfort me. 
God mil redeem my soul from the power 
of the grave ; for he shall receive me." 
The woman of Canaan. Jesus said, 
" O woman, great is thy faith ; be it 
unto thee as thou wilt." 
. Bartimeus. Jesus saith unto him, " Go 
thy way; thy faith hath made thee 
whole." 

Also the following examples of faith 
under affliction : — 

The leper. 

The centurion. 

The penitent Magdalen. 
309 



Habakkuk. " Although the fig tree 
shall not blossom, nor fruit be in the 
vine, &c, . . . still will I trust in thee." 

INFLUENCE OF RELIGION. 

RELIGION alone it is that can impart 
solid comfort under all circumstances 
of life. It is this that can make all our 
bed in sickness, can be our guide in 
health, our comfort in sorrow, our hope in 
death. 

" Jesus can make a dying bed 
Feel soft as downy pillows are ; 

While on his breast I lean my head, 

And breathe my life out sweetly there." 

In the hour of pain and affliction, medi- 
cine and art can often, under God's bless- 
ing, do much : but the consolations of 
religion, and the holy and peaceful satis- 
faction arising from a well-spent life, can 
do more, by administering a cordial infi- 
nitely more lasting and efficacious than all 
other human means. Religion sheds a 
cheerful light even around the most dis- 
tressing scenes of pain and suffering, 
which powerfully soothes and tranquilizes 
310 



the feelings, and thus conduces much to 
recovery ; for a cheerful heart doeth good, 
like medicine." 

" Sir," said the excellent Rev. Mr. Venn 
to Abm. Milwood, who was sadly afflicted 
with poverty and disease, "I have brought 
my children here to-day, to show them 
that it is possible to be happy in a state of 
disease, poverty, and want ; and now tell 
them if it is so." The dying youth, with a 
sweet smile of benevolence and piety, re- 
plied, " O yes, sir. I would not change 
my state with that of the richest person 
upon earth, who was destitute of these 
views which I possess. Blessed be God ! 
I have a good hope, through Christ, of 
being admitted into those blessed regions 
where Lazarus now dwells, having long 
forgotten all his sorrows and miseries." 

One more instance. Said the accom- 
plished daughter of a distinguished noble- 
man, " I experience a pleasure in reading 
the Bible which I have never felt before. 
And when I compare the calm and peace, 
which the smallest grain of faith gives to 
the soul, with all that the world alone can 
311 



give of joy and happiness, I feel that the 
least in the kingdom of heaven is a hun- 
dred times more blesssed than the greatest 
and most elevated of the men of the 
world." This was the language of a 
young lady, residing at the very centre of 
all that dazzles the mind, in the gayest 
city of Europe ; whom the world, in its 
most alluring forms, was perpetually as- 
sailing, and seeking to captivate. 

DESIGN OF GOD IN AFFLICTING HIS PEOPLE. 

AS the mason, by sharp and repeated 
strokes of the hammer, heweth the 
hard stones, and striketh off here one 
piece, and there another, till they be fitted 
for the place where he will lay them in the 
earthly temple, even so doth our almighty 
Builder hew and polish us, by repeated 
strokes of affliction, from all manner of 
inequalities and blemishes, who are his 
costly and precious stones, that we may 
be smoothed and beautified for the place 
he shall assign us in his heavenly temple. 
" I am deeply conscious," said the late 
Robert Hall, whose bodily sufferings were 
312 



long and severe " that I have been cor- 
rected less, yea, infinitely less, than my 
iniquities deserve. I hope I am more 
anxious to see my heavy afflictions sancti- 
fied than removed. I presume that the 
Lord sees that I require more hammering 
and hewing than almost any other stone 
that was ever selected for his spiritual 
building, and that is the reason of his thus 
dealing with me." 

TRIALS NECESSARY. 

A CHRISTIAN, for the sweet fruit he 
bears to God and man, is compared 
to the vine. Now, as the most generous 
vine, if it be not pruned, runs out into 
many superfluous stems, and grows at last 
weak and fruitless, so doth the best man, 
if he be not cut short of his desires, and 
pruned with afflictions. If it be painful to 
bleed, it is worse to wither. Let me be 
pruned that I may grow, rather than cut 
down to burn. 

AFFLICTIONS are usually allotted to 
those saints who have been exten- 
sively useful ; and this, among other rea- 

313 



sons, because the infirmity of their nature 
is such, that success for the most part is 
not good for them ; and, therefore, to re- 
strain pride and self-complacency, and to 
promote the growth of inward holiness, 
God sees fit to visit his servants with re- 
peated trials, that none may glory in his 
sight ; but that they may be kept lowly 
and humble, and their graces be preserved 
and augmented. The most eminent saints 
have been visited with the most eminent 
trials. 

" The good are better made by ill, 
As odors crushed are sweeter still." 

I^HE Christian cannot expect uninter- 
rupted peace in this world. Trials 
are needful to keep him humble: and 
difficulties form the proper exercise and 
discovery of his faith, love, patience, and 
hope in God. The honor of God, the 
edification of others, the good of his own 
soul, all require that in this world he should 
have tribulation. 

E must be like God in purity before 
we can be in felicity. 



w 



The Christian's whole life should be a 
visible representation of Christ. 

The only way to have spiritual enjoy- 
ment, is to be faithful and obedient to 
God. 

EFFICACY OF PRAYER. 

THE effectual fervant prayer of a 
righteous man availeth much; conse- 
quently the prayers of pious persons must 
be exceedingly useful and advantageous. 
" Few/' says Baxter, " that are ac- 
quainted with the grace of God, are unac- 
quainted with the efficacy of prayer." Says 
he, " How many times have I known the 
prayers of faith to save the sick, when all 
physicians have given them up for dead ! 
It has been my oivn case more than ten 
times, when means have all failed ; yet 
have I been relieved by the prevalency of 
fervent prayer." 

HOW many days of health and pros- 
perity do many have, and how few 
of sorrow and affliction, in comparison ! 
Bishop Hall mentions an excellent Christ- 
ian, who, being afflicted with a most pain- 
315 



ful malady, in the midst of his torment ex- 
claimed, " O my God, how gracious hast 
thou been to me ! Thou hast given me 
eighty-four years of health, and now but 
two years of pain. Blessed be thy name 
for thy mercy in forbearing with me, and 
for thy justice in afflicting me." 

IT is a striking fact, that the most emi- 
nent Christians, whose lives have been 
marked by signal usefulness, have also 
been marked by signal trials. And these 
are necessary to keep them humble, and 
also to make them still more useful and 
fruitful. "Every branch," &c. (St. John xv.) 

DEATH is a conquered enemy; he 
cannot hurt you if he find you clothed 
in Christ's righteousness. 

NOTHING tends so much to divest 
death of its terrors, and the grave of 
its gloom, as to familiarize the mind with 
them ; so that he who strives the most to 
shun the King of Terrors is sure to see 
the most of his countenance. 
316 



ALL HEAVENLY HEARTS ARE CHARITA- 
BLE. Enlightened souls disperse their 
vivifying and cheering rays. 

DUTY OF CHRISTIANS. 

CHRISTIANS are required to live not 
only to Christ, but to live like him. 
We are called to be his visible representa- 
tives : every Christian is a sort of Christ, 
resembling him ; going about doing good, 
strengthening the weak, comforting the 
afflicted, relieving the needy, bearing tes- 
timony meekly and mildly against evil, 
and doing good in every possible way. 
How happy would the world be, if all the 
professed followers of Christ lived after 
his example ! Let all Christians then set 
about this work immediately; and this 
with more prayer, and therefore with more 
success. 

OBJECTS OF CHRISTIAN HOPE. 

THE perfect and everlasting happiness 
of heaven is the object of a righteous 
man's hope in death. 

He hopes to drop all his sins and their 
3i7 



attendant train of sorrows behind him, and 
to be perfectly holy and happy forever. 

He hopes to see his God and Savior, 
and to spend an eternity in society with 
him, and in his service. 

He hopes to join the company of an- 
gels, and of his fellow-saints of the human 
race. 

He hopes to improve in knowledge, and 
capacity for action and enjoyment, in an 
endless gradation. 

He hopes to see the face of God in 
righteousness, and to be satisfied when he 
awakes with his likeness. 

In short, he hopes to be unspeakably 
happy in an endless duration. 

What a glorious hope is this ! This has 
made many a saint welcome death with 
open arms. This has made them "de- 
sirous of being with Christ, which is far 
better." And this has sweetly swallowed 
up the sensation of bodily pain. Indeed, 
without this, immortality would be an ob- 
ject of terror, and not of hope ; the pros- 
pect would be insupportably dreadful. 
For who can bear the thought of an im- 
318 



mortal duration spent in banishment from 
God and all happiness, and in the suffer- 
ing of pain ! But a happy immortality ! 
what can charm us more ? 

Read the 187th Hymn, " I would not 
live alway; I ask not to stay." 

THE DYING CHRISTIAN. 

COME, my friends, enter into the cham- 
ber of the dying saint in the lively ex- 
ercise of divine faith, and with the bright 
prospect of immortality full in his view. 
Observe the smile that sits upon his coun- 
tenance ; view his patience, his resigna- 
tion, his peaceful serenity ; hear the holy 
and heavenly language that drops from 
his lips : "I go the way of all the earth, 
and I long to be gone, to be where my 
Savior is. I have trusted in him for salva- 
tion ; I have committed my everlasting 
all into his hands; I know in whom I 
have believed. O the heavenly peace and 
joy that I now find in God's sure and well- 
ordered covenant ! It has been my sup- 
port through life under many painful trials 
and overwhelming sorrows. 
319 



" And now, when drawing near to the 
eternal world, and about to bid adieu to 
all things here below, it is the spring of 
joy unspeakable and full of glory ! With 
my Shepherd's rod and staff to support 
me, I can walk fearless and undismayed 
through the valley of the shadow of death; 
' for this God is my God forever and ever, 
and he will be my guide unto death.' I 
have no righteousness of my own to plead 
at God's tribunal ; but I thank God, who 
has given me faith to rely on the all-aton- 
ing efficacy of my Redeemer's blood, and 
the infinite merit of his perfect righteous- 
ness; so that now, through faith in his 
name, I can triumph and say, 'O death, 
where is thy sting ? O grave, where is thy 
victory ? The sting of death is sin, and 
the strength of sin is the law ; but thanks 
be to God, who giveth us the victory, 
through our Lord Jesus Christ.' " 

Read the 124th Hymn, " Hear what the 
voice from heaven declares." 



O DEATH, WHERE IS THY STING. 

r "pHE power of death, the last enemy, is 
1 destroyed, as it respects all who be- 
lieve in Christ. Instead of being the 
jailer of hell and of the grave, he is now, 
as respects Christ's people, the porter of 
paradise. All he can now do is to cause 
them to sleep in Jesus, release their im- 
mortal spirits from the fetters which bind 
them to earth, and deposit their weary 
bodies in the tomb as a place of rest, till 
Christ comes at the last day to raise them 
incorruptible, glorious, and immortal, and 
reunite them to their souls in a state of 
perfect and never-ending felicity. 

THE CHRISTIAN'S DEATH BED. 

I'M dying ! — this frail world will soon 
Be nothing more to me, 
And all I love so fondly now 
These eyes will cease to see. 

O, had I made my resting-place, 

My hope and anchor, here, 
What would my guilty feelings be, — 

What — but despair and fear ! 

But in no vain and careless hope 
I trusted, Lord, to thee ; 
321 



And now my Savior bids me come 
To heaven, redeemed and free. 

Christ is my stay, — I cannot fear 

To yield my fading breath ; 
That lamp will never fail to light 

The shadowed vale of death. 

SINNERS INVITED TO CHRIST. 

THE Lord never heard any that ac- 
counted themselves worthy. All that 
ever had access and audience with God 
have been really, and in their own esteem 
unworthy. The Lord requires not that 
his people should bring any worth with 
them, to commend their prayers to him. 
The want of personal worth did never 
hinder the Lord from answering prayers ; 
therefore there is no reason to be dis- 
couraged for want of that which is nei- 
ther necessary nor ever was present. No 
flesh is justified in his sight. 

The more a person is sensible of his 
unworthiness, the more hope has he of 
answer and acceptance. This is so far 
from being an impediment to faith, that it 
should encourage it; for Scripture and 
experience tells us, it is both the Lord's 
322 



gracious disposition and practice to do 
most for those who are, or who seem to 
themselves, to be most unworthy. He 
pronounces those blessed who are poor 
in spirit. He seeks that which is lost. 
He calls not the righteous, but sinners, to 
repentance — those deeply sensible of their 
sinfulness. He invites beggars, sends out 
his servants to fetch them in — those who 
have no money and no worth. He pities 
those whom no eye pities, and condescends 
lowest to those who are the lowest. 
Hereby is the freeness and the richness of 
grace made more conspicuous; infinite 
mercy appears more merciful. 

Let not the doubting, desponding sin- 
ner then keep away from Christ, under an 
apprehension that he himself can make 
satisfaction for his soul, or that he can 
cleanse himself by any means from his 
iniquities ; for he can never have redemp- 
tion but through his blood ; nor can he 
ever subdue his lusts but through his all- 
sufficient grace; neither must he think 
that he can do some meritorious service 
as the price of his favor. O, no. He 
323 



must come to him just as he is, with all 
his sins upon him, and not stop to heal 
himself imperfectly. Christ is willing to 
bestow upon him all the blessings of sal- 
vation freely, " without money and with- 
out price." But then he must come in 
faith, believing that he is able to save to the 
uttermost all that come unto God by him ; 
believing that he is as willing as he is 
able. He must come, too, in love ; not 
like a person driven by necessity, but from 
a feeling of affection for one who laid 
down his life that a ruined world might 
be saved. Thus coming to Christ, he will 
be graciously received by him; the bur- 
den of his sins will be removed; peace, 
solid and substantial, will take possession 
of his soul ; and he will have imparted to 
him not only happiness here, but a firm 
and stable hope of never-ending glory and 
felicity hereafter. 

" Yes, whosoever will, 
O, let him freely come, 
And freely take the stream of life : 

Tis Jesus bids him come." (131st Hymn.) 
324 



WHEN OF THE WORLD GROWN TIRED. 

WHEN of the world grown tired, 
When age and sickness come, 
When hopes we fondly cherished 

Are faded 'neath the tomb, — 
Then to our God we offer 

The worthless heart in truth, 
Refusing him the beauty — 

The spring time of our youth. 
And does he then reject us ? 

Can Jesus then receive 
The heart that should be given 

Ere youth and freshness leave ? 
Yes, still he smiles forgiveness, 

The guilty soul will hear, 
And e'en gives joy in heaven, 

O'er the repentant's tear. 
O, much neglected Savior, 

Who would not fly to thee, — 
Thy mercy never ending, 

Thy pardon ever free ? 
A lifetime could not offer 

One half the praise I owe ; 
And sin and sorrow mingle 

With even praise below. 
My God ! despised, insulted, 

Neglected oft by me, 
Thy holy word rejected, 

How dare I come to thee ? 
325 



Still, still the invitation — 

The sinner s call I view — 
The cross, the darkened mountain, 

All prove my pardon true. 
When one came lowly weeping* 

With sorrow seldom felt, 
When fervent love was filling 

Her bosom as she knelt, — 
Her sins, which were so many, 

By Jesus were forgiven, 
And not one word reproaching, 

The pardon sealed from heaven. 
To whom much is forgiven, 

How much that soul must love, 
Who sees by faith the mansion 

Prepared by God above ! 
To whom much is forgiven — 

Then how should love to thee 
Be shown by one as guilty, 

As lost — yet saved — like me ! 
Here sin with praise will mingle ; 

Yet, Savior, hear my prayer ; 
O, tune my voice for heaven, 

To praise thee holiest there. 



W 



BENEFIT OF AFFLICTIONS. 

E have the most satisfactory and re- 
peated proofs that it is in the 

*St. Luke vii. 38. 
326 



school of affliction where our heavenly Fa- 
ther prepares his distinguished saints to 
become pillars of glory in his heavenly 
kingdom. The more the waters of ad- 
versity are made to pass over them, and 
the more they are tried in the furnace of 
affliction, the more is the dross and cor- 
ruption of their fallen nature removed; 
and the fitter they are for the society of 
those pure and spotless spirits above, for 
which their heavenly Father is training 
them. The pure metal cannot be sepa- 
rated from the dross and impurities with 
which it is connected without going 
through the refiner's furnace ; nor can the 
human soul be purified from its inward 
corruption and depravity without passing 
through the crucible of affliction. 

The refiner, when he throws his precious 
metal in the furnace, does not mean to 
destroy and consume it, but only to sepa- 
rate and remove the baser metal, so that 
it may be fit for his own use, and capable 
of reflecting his image. Thus does a gra- 
cious Father deal with us, when he ap- 
plies the transmuting power of affliction to 
327 



remove from us all the dross of worldli- 
ness, and all the impurities of our corrupt 
nature, that we may be fitted for vessels 
of honor, capable of reflecting his own 
image. And O, it is a delightful thought 
that the eye of a tender-hearted God, 
during the whole of the painful process, is 
steadily fixed on every part and stage of 
the work ; looking earnestly, like the re- 
finer of silver, now on the furnace to see 
that its heat is not too intense, then on 
the precious ore, that it remain not too 
long under its operation. Yes, he shall 
sit as a refiner and purifier of silver. (See 
page 329.) All this is necessary, or God, 
who is making all to work together for 
good to them who love him, would not 
permit it to happen. For it is only " if 
need be," that they are in heaviness 
through manifold temptations. All this 
was known to Job, who said, " He know- 
eth the way that I take, and when he hath 
tried me, I shall come forth like gold." 

ANECDOTE RELATED BY MR. WHITEFIELD. 

" I remember," says Mr. W., " some 
years ago, when in a glass-house, I saw 

328 



several masses of burning glass of various 
forms. The worker took a piece of glass 
and put it into one furnace, and then put 
it into a second, and then into a third. I 
said to him, ' Why do you put this through 
so many fires ?' He replied, ' O sir, the 
first was not hot enough, nor the second, 
and therefore we put it in the third, and 
that will make it transparent. 1 " 

This furnished him with a useful hint, 
that we must be tried and exercised with 
many fires until our dross be purged away, 
and we are made fit for the Owner's use. 

ANOTHER, IN RELATION TO THE PURIFYING 
OF SILVER. 

SOME time ago, a few ladies were read- 
ing the third chapter of Malachi, in 
which reference is made to the refiner of 
silver, and to the fuller's soap. 

One of them thought that the fuller's 
soap and the refiner's silver were only the 
same image, intended to convey the same 
view of the sanctifying influences of the 
Holy Spirit. " No," said another, " they 
are not the same image • there is some- 
thing remarkable in the expression in the 
329 



third verse, " He shall sit as a refiner and 
purifier of silver." Desirous of ascertain- 
ing the fact of the case, one of the party 
went to a silversmith, and requested to 
know the process of refining silver. This 
he fully described to her. " But do you 
sit, sir ?" " O, yes, madam, I must sit 
with my eye steadily fixed on the furnace ; 
since, if the silver remains too long, it is 
sure to be injured." She at once saw the 
beauty, and the comfort too, of the ex- 
pression, " He shall sit as a refiner," &c, 
&c. Christ sees it needful to put his 
children in the furnace ; but he is seated 
by the side of it. His eye is steadily in- 
tent on the work of purifying; and his 
wisdom and his love are both engaged to 
do all in the best manner for them. Their 
trials do not come at random ; the very 
hairs of their heads are all numbered. 

As the lady was retiring, the smith 
called to her and said, that he had for- 
gotten to mention one thing; and that 
was, that he only knew that the process of 
purifying was complete, by " seeing his 
own image in the silver." And so, when 
330 



Christ sees his own image in the hearts of 
his people, his work of purifying is accom- 
plished. 

SUBMISSION. 

1 WOULD not ask a thornless life, 
From every sorrow free ; 
Did God, in his kind providence, 

Permit it so to be. 
For as the verdure of the earth 

Would wither and decay, 
Beneath the dazzling gloriousness 
Of a perpetual day, — 

So the green places of the heart, 

In life's progressive years, 
Would cease to yield the buds of hope, 

If watered not by tears. 

I ask a firm and steadfast mind, 

My duties to fulfill ; 
A cheerful and obedient heart, 

To do my Master's will ; — 

An humble and enduring faith, 

To lift my soul above ; 
And in each chastening grief to see 

A Father's tender love ; — 

A heaven-born strength to follow on 

The path the Savior trod ; 
Through him to win the meed of grace, 

And endless joy with God. 



USE OF AFFLICTION. 

SO fixed is the natural heart with its af- 
fections on the present scenes, that 
perhaps it would never look beyond them, 
but for the appointed means set by God 
for our eternal good. And what are these 
means ? They are such as trials, afflictions, 
bereavements, which break our connection 
with, and destroy our love for, this insnar- 
ing world. Their direct object is to draw 
our affections from the transient scenes 
around us, and to fix them on Him who is 
the " Rock of Ages," who is " one in ten 
thousand and altogether lovely." They 
are designed to conduct us to Him who is 
our only comfort in the season of sorrow, 
which must sooner or later press upon ev- 
ery human soul. They are intended to 
bring us to the fountain of life, where we 
may drink and live forever. 

O, how thankful ought we to be when a 
faithful God draws us to himself by a time- 
ly and merciful correction, as an earthly 
parent a beloved child ! showing us that 
we must lean on his paternal arm for safe- 
ty and protection amid the seductions and 
332 



fascinations of the world, which are ever 
like a powerful magnet, exercising their 
attractive agency over us and bringing us 
into dangerous and fatal contact with 
them. 

When we have been hewing out for our- 
selves cisterns that can hold nothing but 
poisonous draughts of worldly felicity, is 
it not an angel of mercy, which so often 
dashes the cup from our trembling hand, 
when in the very act of raising it to our 
lips, and before the poison should fasten 
upon the soul the pangs and anguish of 
perdition? Surely we shall never have 
reason to weep over the broken fragments 
which lie scattered beneath our feet, when 
we know that eternal death was concealed 
therein. 

A time will shortly come when we shall 
acknowledge, with gratitude, that afflic- 
tions, troubles, and the like, have indeed 
been our highest, choicest blessings, when 
we shall have reason to say, — 

" For all I bless thee ; most for the severe. 1 '' 

Afflicted believer, be comforted. Weep- 
ing may endure for a night, but joy com- 



eth in the morning. Think not of your 
light afflictions, which endure but for a 
moment, but of your exceeding weight of 
promised glory. Your heart may be pant- 
ing and sighing for deliverance, as the 
hart panteth for the water brooks • but re- 
rember, you have a river of water of life 
at hand, and that soon, very soon, you 
shall be led into living fountains of water, 
and God shall wipe away all tears from 
your eyes. 

Soon shall time pass into eternity ! 
Soon shall mortality be swallowed up of 
life ! when your labor shall be exchanged 
for that rest which remaineth for the peo- 
ple of God ! when your sorrow shall be 
exchanged for a fulness of joy at God's 
right hand forevermore ! A few more 
struggles, and all toil will be over. A few 
more setting suns, and your eyes shall be- 
hold that angelic convoy, prepared to bear 
you, with holy transport and seraphic song, 
on their golden pinions, to the glorious 
mansions of eternal day. And then you 
will be ready to say, — 

Lend, lend your wings ; I mount, I fly. 
334 



O death, where is thy sting ? 
O grave, where is thy victory ? 

CONSOLATIONS OF RELIGION. 

TRUE piety is pleasant, for it is the 
source of pleasure even in the midst 
of pain. Man is born to sorrow as the 
sparks fly upward ; and though many young 
persons seem to suppose that that which has 
been a storm to others shall be a calm to 
them, yet experience soon removes the 
delusion. No situation on earth can give 
perfect peace. Even the most peaceful 
and happy dwellings, where love and har- 
mony ever abide, cannot supply that bles- 
sing, for into them pain has its avenue, 
and death its entrance ; death, that dis- 
solves its fondest ties, and takes away the 
life that is dearer than our own. But no 
affliction can befall the true Christian, un- 
der which his Redeemer will not give him 
suitable support and consolation. A gen- 
tleman was invited to visit an indigent 
man, deeply afflicted, and gave the follow- 
ing account of what he saw: "On enter- 
ing his house, I found him alone, his wife 
335 



having gone out. I was startled at the 
sight of a pale emaciated man ; a living 
image of death, fastened upright in achair 
by a rude mechanism of cords and belts 
hanging from the ceiling. He was totally 
unable to move either hand or foot, hav- 
ing more than four years been entirely de- 
prived of the use of his limbs, and the 
whole time suffering extreme anguish from 
swellings of all his joints. I asked, ' Are 
you left alone, my friend, in this deplora- 
ble situation.' i No, sir,' replied he, in a 
touchingly feeble tone of mild resignation, 
' I am not alone, for God is with me.' I 
asked him if he ever felt tempted to re- 
pine under the pressure of so long con- 
tinued and heavy calamity. ' Not for the 
last three years,' said he, ' blessed be God 
for it '; the eye of faith sparkling and giv- 
ing life to his pallid countenance, while he 
made the declaration, ' for I have learned 
from this book in whom to believe ; and 
though I am aware of my weakness and 
unworthiness, I am persuaded that he will 
not leave nor forsake me. And so it is, 
that when my lips are closed with lock- 
336 



jaw, and I cannot speak to the glory of 
God, he enables me to sing his praises in 
my heart.' " 

Are not such hopes and such prospects 
sources of real pleasure ? What is there 
in all worldly pleasures that can compare 
with that holy peace, that pure delight, 
which flows from the love of God, and a 
hope full of immortality? Many there 
are who can bear testimony to the conso- 
latory influences of religion, under cir- 
cumstances of the most poignant affliction, 
and even in the last awful hours of life. 
Go to the sick bed of the humble believ- 
er, and say, " Poor sufferer, can you find 
comfort in the midst of anguish ?" " Yes," 
says one, " I have pain, but I have peace" 
— Baxter. Go to the sick bed of the dy- 
ing youth * ask him, " Can you feel any 
pleasure while sickness threatens you with 
an early tomb ?" Let one reply, who, be- 
ing dead, yet speaks— Janeway. " O that 
I could let you know what I now feel ! 
O that I could express a thousandth part 
of that sweetness which I now feel in 
Christ ! O my friends, you little think 
337 



what Christ is worth in a dying hour. I 
would not for millions of worlds be now 
without Christ and a pardon. I long to 
be with him. I long to die. O sirs, 
worldly pleasures are pitiful, sorry things, 
compared with one glimpse of this glory, 
which shines so strongly into my soul. O, 
why should any of you be so sad, when I 
am so glad ? This, this is the hour that 
I have waited for." Happy they, who 
learn thus happily and peacefully to die. 
"Mark the perfect man, and behold the 
upright ; for the end of such is peace." 

COMPASSION AND CONDESCENSION OF 
CHRIST. 

FEAR not, says the Savior to his peni- 
tent, broken-hearted disciple. Fear 
not, trembling, desponding soul. My 
glory, my perfections, need not alarm thee, 
for they are all engaged on thy side — all 
pledged to secure thy salvation. Tell me 
not of thy sins. I will take them away. 
Tell me not of thy weakness, thy folly, thy 
ignorance. I have treasures of wisdom, 
and knowledge, and strength for thee. 
338 



Tell me not of the weakness of thy graces. 
My grace is sufficient for thee; for its 
riches are unsearchable. Tell me not of 
the difficulties which oppose thy salvation. 
Is any thing too hard for me ? Tell me 
not that the favors thou art receiving are 
too great for thee. I know they are too 
great for thee to merit, but they are not 
too great for me to give. Nay, more ; I 
will give thee greater things than these. I 
will not only continue to pardon thy sins, 
bear with thine infirmities, and heal thy 
backslidings, but give thee larger and larg- 
er measures of my grace; make thee more 
and more useful in the world, render thee 
more than conqueror over all thine ene- 
mies, and at death wipe away forever all 
thy tears, receive thee to the mansions 
which my Father hath prepared for thee 
in heaven, and cause thee to sit down 
with me on my throne forever and ever. 

Thus dost Christ comfort those that 
mourn; thus does he encourage the de- 
sponding ; thus exalts those that humble 
themselves at his feet, and constrains 
them to cry out in admiring transports of 
339 



gratitude and love, " Who, O, who is a 
God like unto thee, forgiving iniquity, 
transgression, and sin ?" 

THE DOUBTING PENITENT. 

THAT is a distressing state of mind 
in which man is placed, when a kind 
and compassionate Savior, by the influ- 
ence of his grace, is drawing the stricken 
penitent to himself; and when Satan is 
seen trying every artifice to keep him back, 
by persuading him that his past sins are 
so many and great, his case so hopeless 
and aggravated, and so far beyond the 
reach of mercy and pardon, that none of 
God's invitations, provisions, and promises 
belong to him ! The fountain opened for 
uncleanness is under his eye, but he dares 
not approach it. The Savior is lifted up 
before him, as the serpent in the wilder- 
ness, but he fears to look upon him. His 
exceeding great and precious promises are 
brought within his reach, but he cannot 
grasp them and call them his own. The 
spirit of evil is ever tempting him to en- 
tertain doubts, in the face of a covenant 
340 



sure as God, and a light clear as the noon- 
day sun ; tempting him to say, " I have 
sinned past forgiveness. I know God's 
promises are many and great, but none of 
them are meant for me. There is com- 
passion with Christ, but it belongs not to 
me" Thus does Satan use his efforts to 
keep us from the way of salvation, by 
blinding our minds, lest the light of the 
glorious gospel of Christ should shine into 
our hearts. Thus does he endeavor to 
keep us away from that all-merciful Being, 
whose arms are ever extended to embrace 
the most abandoned of sinners, that come 
to him with the humble and contrite heart 
of the returning prodigal. O, then, let 
all such sons and daughters of sorrow be- 
take themselves at once to Him who has 
said, " Come unto me all ye that labor 
and are heavy laden, and I will give you 
rest," and they will find the peace and rest 
which they need. Let them return unto 
the Lord, and he will heal them, and to 
our God, and he will abundantly pardon. 

" Come, freely come, by sin oppressed, 
On Jesus cast thy weighty load ; 

34i 



A 



In him, thy refuge, find thy rest, 

Safe in the mercy of thy God. 
Thy God's thy Savior — glorious word ! 
O, hear, believe, and bless the Lord." 

AS THOU WILT. 

"The will of the Lord be done."— Acts 21:14. 

kk Wie Gott will ! also will ich sagen." 

S Thou wilt, my God ! I ever say ; 

What Thou wilt is ever best forme ; 
What have I to do with earthly care, 

Since to-morrow I may leave with Thee ? 
Lord, Thou knowest, I am not my own, 
All my hope and help depend on Thee alone. 

As Thou wilt ! still I can believe ; 

Never did the word of promise fail. 
Faith can hold it fast, and feel it sure, 

Though temptations cloud and fears assail. 
Why art thou disquieted, O my soul ? 
When thy Father knows, and rules the whole. 

As Thou wilt ! still I can endure ; 

Patiently my daily cross can bear ; 
Why should I complain, a pardoned child, 

If the children's portion here I share ? 
As Thou wilt, my Father and my God ! 
I can drink the cup, and kiss the rod. 

As Thou wilt ! still I can hope on. 
Sunshine may return when storms have 
past ; 

342 



Thine All-seeing Eye of sleepless love 

"Watches o'er my path from first to last. 
When Thou wilt, upon the desert plain 
Springs may rise anew, and rivers flow 
again. 

As Thou wilt ! all life's journey through, 
To Thy will my own I would resign ; 

If on earth I have but little store, 
Be it so ! all heaven shall be mine ; 

Or if but Thyself, my God, art given, 

Nothing more I need, or ask in earth or 
heaven. 

As Thou wilt ! when Thine hour has come, 
Let Thy servant, Lord, in peace depart ; 

Good it is to love and serve Thee here, 
Better to be with Thee where Thou art. 

When, or where, or how the call may be, 

It will not come too early or too late for me. 

As Thou wilt, O Lord ! I ask no more. 

With the promise, Faith pursues her way ; 
Patience can endure through sorrow's night, 
Hope can look beyond to heaven's own 
day, 
Love can wait, and trust, and labor still ; 
Life and death shall be, according to Thy 
will .! Neumeister. 



343 



SIN MUST BE RENOUNCED. 

EVERY one that will gain Christ must, 
every one that savingly knows Christ 
does, readily lose and freely part with ev- 
ery known sin. Till sin is utterly reject- 
ed, Christ is never gained. There is not 
one word in Scripture that gives the least 
hope to any sinner of gaining Christ, who 
will continue in any known sin. You ut- 
terly lose Christ, and all the benefits which 
sinners can expect from Christ, if you will 
not part with every lust ; no matter how 
gainful it may seem, you will, you must 
lose Christ for it, if you will not lose it 
for Christ. 

EFFICACY OF CHRIST'S MERITS. 

CHRIST has merited righteousness for 
as many as are found in him. In him 
God findeth us, if we be faithful ; for by 
faith we are incorporated in Christ. Then, 
although in ourselves we be altogether sin- 
ful, yet even the man who is impious in 
himself, full of iniquity, full of sin, — him, 
being found in Christ through faith, and 
having his sin remitted through sincere re- 
344 



pentance, — him God beholdeth with a gra- 
cious eye ; putteth away his sin by not im- 
puting itj taketh away the punishment 
due thereto, by pardoning it ; and accept- 
eth him in Christ Jesus as perfectly right- 
eous as though he had fulfilled all that 
was commanded him in the law ; shall I 
say, more perfectly righteous than if him- 
self had fulfilled the whole law ? I must 
take heed what I say; but the apostle 
saith, " God made him to be sin (or a sin- 
offering) for us who knew no sin, that we 
might be made the righteousness of God 
in him." Such we are in the sight of 
God the Father, as is the very Son of 
God himself. Let it be counted folly, or 
frenzy, or whatsoever, it is our comfort and 
our wisdom ; we care for no knowledge in 
the world but this, that man hath sinned, 
and that God hath suffered; that God 
hath made himself the Son of man, and 
that men are made " the righteousness of 
God." 

Read the 141st Hymn. " O, let trium- 
phant faith dispel." 



CHRIST THE LIGHT OF LIFE. 

I^HE knowledge of Christ is the light 
of life, the dawning of approaching 
glory. When Christ is first known, the 
day of glory breaks ; and the more it in- 
creases, the more it shines unto perfect 
day— unto perfect glory. 

THE HOLY SPIRIT NEEDED DAILY. 

THOUGH a Christian has for years 
been influenced by the Holy Ghost, he 
needs him afresh every day, as much as if 
he had never partaken of his influences 
at all ; because in himself he is as dark 
and as empty of all true goodness as ever. 

GOD, A GOD OF COVENANT. 

THE Lord upon the mercy seat, or 
throne of grace, is a God of covenant 
to all his people. Now, all the promises 
in the Bible are but so many articles of 
that covenant ; he that is in covenant with 
God is included in all the articles of it ; 
every promise belongs to him, so far as 
his condition makes him capable and re- 
quires it. The Lord upon a throne of 
346 



grace is a God to us in Christ. Now, in 
Christ all the promises are Yea and 
Amen ; or, in other words, infallibly true 
— and that perpetually. The covenant is 
a cluster of grapes ; the several promises 
are as particular grapes in that cluster; 
Christ is as the branch, or stalk, that 
holds them all. He that lays hold on 
Christ hath the stalk in his hand, and so 
holds the whole cluster, and every particu- 
lar grape. If Christ be ours, we have laid 
hold on the covenant ; the whole cluster of 
promises is in our hands. 

god's mercy to saints. 

THE saints are vessels full of mercy ; 
it falls into them here, but they shall 
fall into it hereafter, and be filled there- 
with, as a vessel cast into the sea. We 
swim in the streams of mercy from one 
condition to another, till at last we are 
swallowed up in the ocean of mercy. 
Christ's love. 

CHRIST has the love of a friend, a 
brother, a father, a husband, of all 
relations, for every one of his people. 
347 



And his sympathy, his pity, and compas- 
sions, which proceed from his love, are of 
a corresponding character. He is as af- 
fectionately and effectually touched with a 
feeling of his people's infirmities as though 
every one of them were every way related 
to him — as though they were his friends, 
his brethren, his sisters, his mother, his 
children, his spouse. He has the com- 
passions, and so the love, not only of one 
relation for one, and another relation for 
another, but of all relations together, for 
every one of his. 

ANTINOMIAN DOCTRINES. 

Ungodly men, who turn the grace of God 
into lasciviousness. Jude 4. 

FROM what the bee extracts honey, 
venomous insects will gather poison. 
An ungodly heart will convert the most 
wholesome truths of God's grace into the 
most poisonous effects; there ever were 
such men ; there are such at this day, who 
preach some of the truths concerning 
Christ, and the grace of God abounding to 
sinners in him, and yet with these main- 
348 



tain the most shameful heresies. They 
are the " fools who make a mock at sin." 
Personal holiness they practically hold in 
derision ; they " declare their sins as 
Sodom," " say unto the wicked it shall be 
well with him • " and they swallow up 
every unscriptural error in that damnable 
heresy — All men shall be saved at last. 

O Christians ! as you love Christ, as 
you value your precious souls, as you 
prize communion with God, peace of con- 
science, and joy in the Holy Ghost, be- 
ware of such ungodly men ; keep at the 
greatest distance from them ; maintain the 
utmost abhorrence of their soul-destroying 
notions. Why, O, why did the blessed 
Spirit convince us of sin, and lead us to 
Christ for salvation, but that we should 
love God, delight in him, enjoy fellowship 
with him, and have no more to do with 
the unfruitful works of darkness, but serve 
him in righteousness and true holiness all 
the days of our life ? The faith that doth 
not influence us to this is not the faith of 
the holy gospel, not a faith in a holy Jesus, 
349 



but it is the faith of the ungodly, whose 
end is destruction. 

THE CONVINCED SINNER BELIEVING IN 
CHRIST. 

WHEN a convinced sinner, who feels 
condemned by the law of God and 
his own conscience, and fears the sentence 
of eternal condemnation from the mouth 
of his Judge hereafter, hears and believes 
the glad tidings of salvation, they cause 
hope in the mercy of God to spring up in 
his anxious, troubled breast. He says to 
himself, " I am a miserable, guilty crea- 
ture. I have rebelled against my Creator, 
broken his laws, and thus exposed myself 
to his dreadful curse. How, then, can I 
escape from this curse, which threatens to 
plunge me into eternal ruin ? Can I call 
back the idle words I have uttered, the 
sinful desires I have indulged, the wicked 
actions I have committed, the time I have 
wasted, the precious privileges and oppor- 
tunities I have misimproved ? No. Can 
I wash away the guilt of these my sins from 
my troubled conscience, or blot out the 
black catalogue of them which is written 
350 



in the book of God's remembrance ? No. 
Can I make any satisfaction or atonement 
for them, to appease my justly-offended 
God ? No. Even should I be perfectly 
obedient in future, still this will not blot 
out my past sins. Besides, I find that I 
daily commit new sins ; so that, instead of 
diminishing, I increase my guilt. What, 
then, can I do ? Where can I turn ? On 
what can I build my hope of mercy ? 
Why should God pardon me and give me 
heaven, when I have done, and still do, 
nothing but provoke him ? What can I, 
what must I do, to be saved ? The gos- 
pel indeed says, ' Believe on the Lord Je- 
sus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.' It 
tells me, that though my sins be as crim- 
son color and scarlet dye, yet if I forsake 
them and turn unto the Lord, he will 
abundantly pardon. Why should not / 
believe in Christ as well as others ? His 
blood cleanses from all sin. But perhaps 
I am too great a sinner. Yet the gospel 
assures me that Christ came to save the 
chief of sinners. Why, then, should I 
doubt ? Why should I not believe. I 
351 



must, I willy I can, I do believe ; Lord, 
help mine unbelief." 

CHRIST UNCHANGEABLE. 

AS amid all the vicissitudes of the sea- 
sons, the succession of day and night, 
and the changes of the weather, the sun 
remains and shines in the same part of 
the heavens, so amid all the daily changes 
which the Christian experiences from dark- 
ness to light, and from summer to winter, 
in calms and tempests, the Sun of Right- 
eousness still continues the same, and it is 
the same wisdom which leads him to hide 
and to unveil his face. But the Christian 
is at first ready to imagine that the changes 
in his feelings proceed from changes in 
Christ ; as those who do not consider the 
motion of the earth fancy that the sun 
really rises and sets. 

I would say to all Christians, then, Nev- 
er distrust the kindness, the love, the wis- 
dom, and faithfulness of your Savior ; but 
confide in him who hath promised that all 
things shall work together for your good. 
Though you may not now know what he is 
352 



doing, you shall know hereafter. You will 
see the reason of all the trials and tempta- 
tions, the dark and comfortless hours, the 
distressing doubts and fears, the long and 
tedious conflicts with which you are now 
exercised, and you will be convinced that 
not a sigh, not a tear, not a single uneasy 
thought was allowed you without some 
wise and gracious design. Say not, then, 
like Jacob of old, " all things are against 
me ;" say not, like David, " I shall one 
day perish by the hand of Saul;" for all 
these things are for your good, and you 
shall never perish, neither shall any pluck 
you out of Christ's hand. Why should 
you, who are one of the sons of the King 
of heaven, be lean and discontented from 
day to day? Remember, that if you are 
in the path of the just, you are the heir of 
God, and joint heir with Christ of an in- 
heritance incorruptible, eternal, and that 
fadeth not away. Be not discouraged at 
the small progress you appear to make, or 
the difficulties you may meet with : Wait 
on the Lord in the diligent use of his ap- 
pointed means, and he will strengthen 
353 



your hearts, so that you shall mount up as 
on eagle's wings ; you shall run and not 
be weary, you shall walk and not faint. 



" And their sins and iniquities will I remember no 
more."— Heb x. 17. 



w 



ILT thou remember, then, no more, 
Father of light and love ? 
Emboldened by thy gracious words, 
I plead to thee above. 

Emboldened by thy call, to those 
Weak, trembling sinners given, 

I dare approach that holy throne, 
Where dwells the God of heaven. 

Yet dare I not thus boldly come, 

For guilty-stained am I, 
Without the thought of that dear Lord 

Who died on Calvary ; — 

Who died for me and all the world, 
To save from Adam's loss ; 

To cleanse our sins in that red stream 
Still flowing from the cross. 

'Tis this, O Lord, that brings me here 

Before thy feet to bow ; 
'Tis this hath raised my guilty heart 

To ask a Savior now. 

Iniquities and sins like mine 
No earthly fount can clear ; 



But in the stream of Jesus' blood 
They quickly disappear. 

'Tis there I seek for pardon sure, 

Tis there the world defy, — 
In that pure stream of grace and love 

Shed on Mount Calvary. 

I look for pardon and for grace ; 

Temptation powerless lies ; 
And Satan trembles, as he knows 

For us the Savior dies. 

Vain the attempt to bid me doubt 
The way to heaven's bright shore ; 

For God, through Christ, remembers sins, 
Iniquities, no more. 

ON THE COMFORT DERIVED FROM THE 
BIBLE. 

NEVER was there a more correct esti- 
mate put upon the cheering influence 
of the Bible, amid the wreck of our earth- 
ly joys and the breaking up of our earthly 
tabernacle, than that which was once 
given by a poor woman who had received 
a copy of the Bible from the Bible Society. 
Upon being asked by some one what 
value she set upon it, her reply was, " I 
would not take for it all this world could 



offer; for since I received the Bible, I 
have been called to pass through great 
trials ; and in these trials, this blessed 
book has given me that comfort which the 
world and all its wealth could not ; it hath 
given me a hope, through that Savior 
whom it reveals, of eternal life beyond the 
grave. This hope has made my suffer- 
ings appear light, to what they would have 
been if my hope had been in this life 
only." 

If such the sweetness of the stream, 

What will that fountain be, 
Where saints and angels draw their bliss 

Immediately from thee ? 

When the dying believer has committed 
his soul to God, like this poor woman, 
and intrusted his present and eternal in- 
terests in his hands who has promised " to 
keep him until that day," he has nothing 
to fear from the principalities and powers 
of evil. He has nothing to alarm him on 
being told that he must shortly leave a 
world of trouble, and a sickly body, to 
dwell forever where the inhabitant shall 
not say, "lam sick." He has laid help 
356 



on one mighty to save him in his last 
awful hour, and that "of the power of 
darkness." He has friends around him 
who are pledged to take care of, and give 
a peaceful resting-place to, his poor crum- 
bling tabernacle of clay ; and he has a 
Friend greater than them all, who is 
watching over and taking care of that 
precious jewel, his soul, and no man shall 
pluck it out of his hands. He may still 
look forward to the solemnities of a dying 
hour with a pensive sadness, and even with 
those sentiments of apprehension which 
tell him, "it is a fearful thing to die ; " 
but his language is, "I will fear no evil, 
for thou art with me ; thy rod and thy 
staff they comfort me." 

To one thus circumstanced, hope clings 
as the anchor of his soul, sure and stead- 
fast, and faith covers him as his shie/d and 
buckler, to repel the fiery darts of the 
wicked one ; so that he can feel a some- 
thing within that persuades him that 
neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor 
principalities, nor powers, nor things 
present, nor things to come, nor height, 
357 



nor depth, nor any other creature, shall 
be able to separate him from the love of 
God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." 
Read the 2d Hymn, " Father of mer- 
cies ! in thy Word." 

CHRIST OUR CONFIDENCE. 

THE Savior is worthy the confidence of 
his people : and this not only in his 
character as Mediator, but in the perfec- 
tion of his works ; for what he is to him- 
self, he is to his people. Delightful 
thought ! There is not an imaginable ne- 
cessity, but for which there is an abundant 
source in the Lamb that was slain. Are 
you guilty ? stung with remorse for the 
past, and trembling with apprehension for 
the future ? Do you see angry Omnipo- 
tence rising before you, and brandishing 
his destructive sword ? The Lamb be- 
comes your Friend. There is no guilt he 
cannot pardon, no impurity which he can- 
not cleanse ; and your sins shall, through 
the ablution of his blood, be as though 
they had never been. Does sin gain the 
victory over you, and under the burden of 
358 



an accusing conscience do you drop the 
silent tear ? The Lamb is your Friend. 
Jesus has promised, "sin shall not have 
dominion over you ; " he will supply you 
with adequate grace, and will enable you 
to overcome. Are you the subject of af- 
fliction ? Jesus, the Lamb, is your Friend 
Has the storm beaten on your naked 
bosom ? has wave after wave rolled over 
your head ? Have thy little ones been 
taken from thee ? or hast thou consigned 
to the tomb the wife of thy bosom ? or 
hast thou taken thy station at the grave of 
those whom thou most lovedst? or hast 
thou wept at the recollection of joys which 
can never return ? Art thou bowing the 
head like a bulrush to the storm ? The 
Lamb that was slain is thine unchanging 
Friend ; he is a Brother born for adversi- 
ty ; he is a Friend that sticketh closer 
than a brother. He combines all that is 
powerful to save with all that is sympa- 
thetic to feel. Are you looking down 
in the grave, and into all the realities of 
eternity? Do you recoil from the pros- 
pect of entering on the margin of the 
359 



eternal world? Jesus is thy Friend; 
taking his station by thy side, he declares 
that " he is the resurrection and the life ; " 
that he "has the keys of hell and death ;" 
opening the door, he bids thee go down, 
and promises that he will raise thee up 
again. In short, the Savior is worthy of 
all the confidence of his people. For 
every situation of life — in health and in 
sickness, in liberty and in bondage, in 
prosperity and in adversity, under every 
aspect of trouble, and in the very agonies 
of death — the Lamb is worthy your confi- 
dence and your love. 

Read the 144th Hymn, "How firm a 
foundation, ye saints of the Lord." 

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE RIGHTEOUS AND 
THE WICKED. 

THE Lord, in his wisdom, sometimes 
afflicts and sometimes prospers both 
the righteous and the wicked, without any 
exact discrimination. The difference be- 
tween them, as to present happiness, 
arises not from outward causes, but from 
the inward supports and consolations 
360 



which the righteous enjoy, and the benefit 
they derive from their varied trials and 
mercies ; and from the inward remorse 
and terrors which wicked men experience, 
and their growing more daring in impiety 
under the several dispensations of provi- 
dence, 

VOLTAIRE. 

IT was when the awful realities of a fu- 
ture world flashed in all their terrors on 
the unbelieving soul of Voltaire, in the 
last wretched moments of his existence, 
that he was heard to declare to his physi- 
cian, " that he would give his fortune to 
have his life prolonged half a year." 



" F)K.AYER moves the hand that moves 
1 all things." If we have the ear of 
God, we are sure of the hand of God. 
O, then, pray for the Holy Ghost, the 
spirit of prayer. Without him, we are 
without love, without humility, without 
fervor, without spirituality. It is when 
we pray, " with all prayer and supplica- 
tion in the spirit," it is then that we pray 
361 



heartily and effectually. Then it is that 
the love of God will dwell richly with us, 
and that we will shine in all the beauties 
of holiness ; reflecting the image of Him 
with whom we are in the habit of constant 
intercourse and cpmmunion. We will be 
holy " in all manner of conversation," and 
be "fruitful in every good word and work;" 
" living not to ourselves, but to Him who 
died for us and rose again." 

HOLINESS. 

THE BEAUTY OF A HOLY LIFE CONSTI- 
TUTES A MOST ELOQUENT AND POWER- 
FUL PERSUASIVE TO RELIGION. THERE IS 
AN ENERGY OF MORAL SUASION IN A GOOD 
MAN'S LIFE PASSING THE HIGHEST EFFORTS 
OF THE ORATOR'S GENIUS. THE SEEN BUT 
SILENT BEAUTY OF HOLINESS SPEAKS MOST 
ELOQUENTLY OF GOD AND PIETY. AND 
THE BEST INHERITANCE A PARENT CAN BE- 
QUEATH A CHILD, IS AN EXAMPLE OF CON- 
SISTENT VIRTUE AND PIETY. 

The universal command of the gospel 
is, (and this comprises all our duties,) to 
walk as Christ walked. 

362 



THE great end of religion is, to make 
us like God, and to conduct us to the 
enjoyment of him. 

AS much as lies in thy power, shun 
worldly company ; for much conver- 
sation on worldly affairs, however inno- 
cently managed, greatly retards the pro- 
gress of the spiritual life. 

CHRISTIANS SHOULD BE HAPPY. 

NOW that Christians are reconciled to 
God, it is their privilege to serve him 
with joy and gladness • not in the spirit of 
fear, but in the spirit of adoption, where- 
by they cry, Abba, Father, and are ena- 
abled to love God as children love their 
father. 

LOVE OF GOD TO THE CHRISTIAN. 

GOD is the Christian's reconciled God 
and Father ; and the affection of the 
most ardent, earthly parent is not to be 
compared with the love which his heaven- 
ly Father exercises towards him. The 
watchfulness and solicitude of the most 
affectionate earthly parent for the child of 
his hopes affords but a faint idea of the 
363 



watchful solicitude with which his heaven- 
ly Father regards him, his adopted son in 
Christ. And the pleasures and the glory 
of the world are not worthy of a compari- 
son with those transcendent blessings to 
which he is an heir. He is a joint heir 
with the Son of God, and he hath gone be- 
fore to take possession of the promised in- 
heritance, and shall share with him in a 
kingdom that shall never be moved — a 
a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 

THE DIVINE GOODNESS. 

NOTHING can be of greater import- 
ance, either to the liveliness and 
vigor, or even the very substance and 
being, of religion, than a. fixed, stable ap- 
prehension of the divine goodness. That re- 
ligion is nothing, the soul whereof is not love. 
But that love may be the soul of it, there 
must be a constant apprehension of the 
loveliness of the object. Labor, then, to 
have your souls possessed always with a 
deep and fixed apprehension of the divine 
goodness. Contemplate it in everything 
you behold, in everything you enjoy \ yea, 
364 



in the lessening and qualifying of those 
evils that you suffer. Go up and down in 
this world with hearts full of this thought, 
" the whole earth is full of his goodness." 
Collect all the instances you can of the 
goodness of God, and keep by that means 
such an apprehension alive and in vigor 
concerning him. What a mighty spring 
would this be of cheerful and joyful reli- 
gion ! Let no thought arise but that it 
meet with a seasonable check, if it tend 
to any diminution of the divine goodness. 

THE LAND WHICH NO MORTAL MAY KNOW. 
By B. Barton. 

THOUGH earth has full many a beautiful 
spot, 
As the poet or painter might show; 
Yet more lovely and beautiful, holy and bright, 
To the hopes of the heart, and the spirit's glad 
sight, 
Is the land which no mortal may know. 

There the crystalline stream, bursting forth 
from the throne, 
Flows on, and forever will flow ; 
Its waves, as they roll, are with melody rife, 
And its waters are sparkling with beauty and 
life, 
In the land which no mortal may know. 
365 



And there, on its margin, with leaves ever 
green, 

With fruits healing sickness and woe, 
The fair Tree of Life, in its glory spread wide, 
Is fed by the deep, inexhaustible tide, 

On the land which no mortal may know. 

There, too, are the lost ! — whom we loved on 
this earth, 

With whose memory our bosoms still glow ! 
Their relics we give to the place of the dead, 
But their glorified spirits before us have fled 

To the land which no mortal may know. 

There the orb of night, and the fountain of day, 

Nor beauty nor splendor bestow ; 
But the presence of Him, the unchanging I AM, 
And the holy, the pure, the immaculate Lamb, 
Light the land which no mortal may know. 

ASSURANCE. 

SAID the excellent Rev. Mr. Richmond 
to his daughter, "See how holily 
and lovingly Archbishop Leighton worked 
with God, because he assuredly believed 
that his salvation was safe. Try to have 
such assurance. How much better to 
look out of self, and see all perfect in 
Christ ! You will never be happy and 
strong till you do so. Live upon Christ ; 
366 



he has done all for you, if you could but 
believe it." 

STRONG FAITH RECOMMENDED. 

GOD is pleased when, with the sense of 
our own sinfulness, we wrap up our- 
selves in the garments of Christ's right- 
eousness, and go boldly before his throne 
of grace. 

GOD THE CHIEF SOURCE OF COMFORT. 

GOD, in Christ, is the ocean of all 
sweetness and pleasure, in comparison 
with whom, all the pleasures that are, or 
ever were in the world, amount not to the 
proportion of a drop ; and for quality, the 
essence of them is but bitterness itself. 

SAFETY OF THE CHRISTIAN. 

I^HE Lord is ours, and we are his. We 
have an interest in his glorious es- 
sence and attributes. In his omnipotence, 
that is our safety ; by it we are more se- 
cure than if all the hosts of heaven and 
earth did surround us. And if we could 
use faith when we seem most deserted in 
the world, we might see more with us 
367 



than against us ; we might behold, with 
Elisha's servant, "the mountains full of 
horses and chariots of fire about us." 

FEAR OF GOD. 

THE fear of God, says Leighton, is not 
a doubting and distrust of his love. 
On the contrary, it is a fixed resting and 
trusting in it. Many are, through weak- 
ness, filled with fears. This is both un- 
pleasant to them and to God. The best 
way is to exercise strong faith in God ; 
being most afraid to offend him, delighting 
to walk in his ways, loving him and his 
will in all, and then resting persuaded of 
his love, though he afflicts us. Let my 
soul roll itself on him, and adventure there 
all its weight. He bears greater matters ; 
upholding the frame of heaven and earth, 
and is not troubled nor burdened by it. 



HEAVEN is not so much local as we 
imagine. Communion with God is 
heaven, and happiness, and eternal life. 
He that hath communion with God is in 

368 



heaven while he is on earth ; and if a man 
could be there without this, he would want 
heaven, even in heaven. There is no 
essential difference between happiness on 
earth and happiness in heaven ; they dif- 
fer but in degree. If a man on earth 
could enjoy perfect communion with God, 
he would be perfectly happy. 

A SAINT, THE TEMPLE OF GOD. 

A SAINT is the temple of God, and 
every part of him is dedicated and 
consecrated to God. Our body, that is 
the outer court \ our soul, that is the holy 
place ; our spirit, that is the holy of holies. 
God is most in this, and manifests him- 
self most gloriously in it. This is my 
resting-place ; here will I dwell. All the 
faculties of our soul and members of our 
body must be weapons and instruments of 
righteousness. 

THE BODY THE ONLY PARTITION BETWEEN 
GOD AND THE CHRISTIAN. 

THERE is nothing but the partition of 
the body between God and the Chris- 
tian, and there are many windows in that, 

369 



by which God passes to them and they to 
God, whereas others are strangers and 

aliens from him There are streams of 

comfort conveyed to them in ordinances, 
promises, and privileges, of which they 
only have the actual enjoyment, and the 
joy resulting therefrom is unspeakable — a 
joy, a peace, that passeth understanding. 

THE Christian is a palace of the 
Prince of Peace. He is a temple 
of the Lord of all. Every one should 

HONOR AND REVERE HIM. He IS "THE 
NOBLEST WORK OF GOD," AND AS SUCH, 
SHOULD BE REGARDED. WHEN DEAD, HIS 
MEMORY WILL BE HELD IN HONOR. 

CONSEQUENCES OF VICE. 

PHYSICIANS can testify from observa- 
tion, that by far the greater portion 
of human distress is the result of intem- 
perance, vice, ambition, and evil habits. 
O the lacerations of mind, the misery of 
body, the lashings of conscience, the bit- 
terness of remorse, that characterize the 
last days of the libertine, the sensualist, 
370 



and the voluptuary ! The idea of "a 
short life and a merry one," though it may 
seem well in theory, fails in practice. 

" Those wounds heal ill which men do 
give themselves." 



THE elect of God are those who are 
chosen by him out of the world, and 
conditionally admitted into covenant with 
him. Into this covenant they are called by 
his Word, his Spirit, his ministry, and his or- 
dinances. Its privileges they are liable to 
forfeit ; for which reason St. Paul exhorts 
them to " give all diligence to make their 
calling and election sure." But, sincere 
in his purposes of mercy towards them, 
the Lord enables them by his grace 
(which must be daily prayed for) to obey 
his call. No secret will opposes his de- 
clared will that all men should be saved. 
No decree of his power selects certain in- 
dividuals to salvation, and excludes others \ 
nor determines the eternal destiny of the 
human race, independently of those deeds 
done in the body, by which he declares 
37i 



all men shall be judged. No ; it was the 
eternal purpose of his mercy, in his Son 
Jesus Christ, to render salvation possible 
to all men, and finally to choose or reject 
them, according to the improvement 
which they shall have made of the talents 
and the grace given unto them. Let all 
Christians, therefore, take heed, lest a 
promise being made them of entering into 
God's rest, they fall short ; take heed lest, 
called to be heirs of heaven, they forfeit 
its glories. 

"Vain are our fancies, vain our flights, 
If faith be cold and dead ; 

None but a living power unites 
To Christ, the living Head," 

Said the Rev. Mr. Flavel, " The way 
for men to discern their names written in 
the book of life is by reading the work of 
sanctificdtion in their hearts. I desire no 
miraculous voice from heaven, no extra- 
ordinary signs, or unscriptural informa- 
tions, in this matter. Let me find my 
heart obeying the will of my God ; sin my 
burden, and Christ my desire ; I will 
never desire a surer evidence of his elect- 
372 



ing love to my soul ; and if I had an oracle 
from heaven, an extraordinary messenger 
from the other world, to tell me that 
1 God loves me,' I have no reason to 
credit such a voice whilst I find my heart 
wholly sensual, averse to his requirements, 
and indisposed to all that is spiritual." 

HE that loves God, says Leighton, may 
be sure that he was loved first ; and 
he that chooses God for his delight and 
portion may conclude confidently that 
God hath chosen him to be one of those 
that shall enjoy him, and be happy in him 
forever • for that our love and electing of 
him is but the return and repercussion of 
the beams of his love shining upon us. 

INFLUENCE OF CHRISTIAN HOPE. 

WHILST our thoughts and affections 
are set on things above, worldly 
prosperity will not greatly elevate, nor 
worldly adversity depress ; the one will 
not intoxicate, the other will not destroy. 
The Christian's great treasure knows no 
decay. His most valuable possession is 
not liable to contingencies to which all 
373 



earthly things are subject. He is hasten- 
ing to an incorruptible inheritance — a 
kingdom that cannot be moved. 

" A hope so much divine 
May trials well endure." 

You, who know that you have in 
heaven a better and enduring substance, 
who are sure of a place at God's right 
hand, — a mansion in the skies, a bower in 
paradise, a seat in glory, a repose in 
Abraham's bosom, an asylum, a refuge, a 
house, a shelter in eternity ; you who are 
going to the general assembly and church 
of the first born, to the innumerable com- 
pany of angels, to Jesus the Mediator of 
the new covenant, to God the Judge of 
all, to the general gathering of the called 
and faithful, — you can afford a few trials 
by the way. You can smile at the tran- 
sient storm, remembering the haven for 
which you are bound. Your little bark 
may feel the dash and fury of the storm ; 
but her anchor is cast within the haven, 
and she will outride the billows and defy 
their rage. The believer hath cast anchor 



in heaven, and though he may suffer from 
the storms of life, he cannot be a wreck. 

You, who are the trees of righteousness, 
the planting of the Lord, may bend before 
the blast as it whistles and howls around 
you, but you shall not be broken by it. 
Let winds blow and tempests roar, they 
will take away nothing but leaves; the 
tree is safe, and can neither be shivered 
nor torn up, being fast rooted by the 
throne of God, and the fruit it bears is 
unto life eternal. So we hear the good of 
every age expressing and solacing them- 
selves, amidst the fluctuations of surround- 
ing circumstances, and the depression to 
which it gives rise. David exclaims, 
" Though the mountains shall depart and 
the hills be removed," &c, &c. Habakkuk. 
" Although the fig tree shall not blossom, 
nor fruit be in the vine, . . . still will I 
rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of 
my salvation." St. Paul, " I reckon that 
the sufferings of the present life are not 
worthy to be compared with the glory that 
shall be revealed in us." All believers 
may say, " We are cast down, but not de- 
375 



stroyed ; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing ; 
patient in tribulation, yet joyful in hope. 
The Christian can bear the loss of those 
things that perish in the using, knowing 
that he has a treasure in heaven, unfading 
and eternal." 

Read the 147th Hymn. "When I can 
read my title clear." 

Also the nth Hymn. "Sovereign 
ruler of the skies." 

Also the 156th Hymn. "Father, 
whate'er of earthly bliss." 

VIGILANCE REQUISITE. 

THE Spirit in its blessed influences is 
like a dove, easily scared from its 
nest. Nothing more seriously hinders 
progress, and weakens and enervates 
prayer, as allowed evil in any way. " If I 
regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will 
not hear me." O, let him who would 
hasten unto God, who would speed him 
along the appointed way, remember that 
universal sincerity and uprightness of 
heart in the service of God is happiness ; 
that there is an intimate and inseparable 
376 






connection between " singleness of heart " 
and " gladness of heart ;" between single- 
ness of eye to the glory of God and the 
cheering light of God's presence within 
the soul. " If thine eye be single, the 
whole body shall be full of light ; but if 
the light that is in thee be darkness, how 
great is that darkness !" 

EFFICACY OF CHRIST'S MERITS. 

THOUGH the believer be unworthy to 
be heard, yet Christ is worthy ; he it 
is that undertakes to present his petitions, 
and to procure an answer. Believers, 
when they are found praying, are found, 
not as having their own righteousness, but 
that which is through the faith of Christ — 
that which is of God by faith. Faith 
makes Christ yours, and so his righteous- 
ness yours ; it unites to Christ as your 
head — the head and the members are as 
one mystical person. When the Lord 
looks on you he finds you as having Christ s 
righteousness, and that is enough to ??iake 
both person and prayers righteous ; to cov- 
er all unworthiness in either, that might 
311 



hinder acceptance. Though Christ commu- 
nicates not his merits so as we can deserve 
any thing, yet he communicates the effica- 
cy and benefits of interest in his merits ; so 
as, if they be not ours, they are for us ; he 
deserves, he is worthy that we should be 
heard. 

OXENSTIERN. 

THIS excellent man (the Chancellor of 
Sweden) was a man of great abilities, 
and uncorrupted integrity. So great was 
the confidence reposed in him by the queen^ 
that he was invested with the management 
of public affairs, and he conducted him- 
self with singular wisdom and uprightness. 
In the great schemes which he formed for 
the interests of his country, he was very 
successful ; and was highly esteemed, not 
only by his countrymen, but by the most 
eminent persons in Europe. 

This great statesman spent a part of his 
time in retirement, from which he derived 
the highest advantage. In his retreat, he 
was visited by the English ambassador, 
and in the conclusion of their conversa- 
373 



tion he made the foliowing very interest- 
ing observations : "I have seen much, 
and enjoyed much of this world, but I 
never knew how to live till now. I thank 
God that he hath given me time to know 
him, and to know myself. All the com- 
fort I have, and which is more than the 
whole world can give, is in the enjoyment 
of the influences of his Holy Spirit, and 
in the perusal of his Holy Word." 

He then said to the ambassador, " You 
are now in the prime of your age and vig- 
or, and in great favor and business ; but 
all this will leave you, and you will one day 
better understand and relish what I say. 
You will then find that there is more wis- 
dom, truth, comfort, and pleasure in re- 
tiring and turning your heart from the 
world to the good Spirit of God, and in 
reading the Bible, than in all the courts 
and favors of princes." 

These sentiments are the more interest- 
ing when we reflect, that they came from 
one of the greatest and wisest men of the 
age ; when his mind and body were sound 
and vigorous, and when he was best able 



to judge of human life, and of the happi- 
ness which is to be derived from religion. 

J. MASON. 

ANOTHER strong testimony to the im- 
portance of religion is given by Sir 
John Mason, who, though but sixty-three 
years old at his death, had flourished in 
the reign of four sovereigns, had been 
privy councillor to them all, and an atten- 
tive observer of the various revolutions 
and vicissitudes of those times. Towards 
his latter end, being on his death bed, he 
spoke thus to those about him : " I have 
lived to see five sovereigns, and have been 
privy councillor to four of them. I have 
seen the most remarkable things in for- 
eign parts, and have been present at most 
state transactions for the last thirty years ; 
and I have learned from the experience of 
this length of time, that seriousness is the 
greatest wisdom, temperance the best phys- 
ic, and a good conscience the best estate. 
And were I to live again, I would change 
the court for a cloister, a privy councillor's 
bustle for a hermit's retirement, and the 
380 



whole life I have lived in the palace for 
an hour's enjoyment of God in the chapel. 
All things now forsake me, except my 
God, my duty, and my prayers." 

From the regret expressed by Sir J. Ma- 
son, it appears that his error consisted, 
not in having served his king and country 
in the eminent stations in which he had 
been placed, but in having suffered his 
mind to be so much occupied with busi- 
ness as to make him neglect, in some de- 
gree, the proper seasons of religious re- 
tirement, and the prime duties which he 
owed to his Creator. 

OR my own part," said Mrs. Hannah 



p 



ored, famed, and great, the more I see of 
the littleness, and unsatisfactoriness of all 
created good, and that no earthly pleasure 
can fill up the wants of the soul." 

SALMASIUS. 

WHEN this eminently learned man ar- 
rived at the evening of his days, 
and found leisure to reflect seriously on 
the great end of his being, he acknow- 

381 



ledged that he had been too much and too 
earnestly engaged in literary pursuits, and 
had greatly overlooked those objects in 
which true and solid happiness consists. 
" O," said he, " I have lost an immense 
portion of time — time, that most precious 
thing in the world ! Had I but one year 
more, it would be spent in studying the 
Psalms and the Epistles of St. Paul. O, 
sirs" said he to those about him, " mind 
the world less, and God more. ' The fear 
of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart 
from evil, that is wider standing? " 

JOHN LOCKE. 

SAID the celebrated John Locke, " This 
life is a scene of vanity, which soon 
passes away, and affords no solid satisfac- 
tion but in the consciousness of doing well, 
and in the hopes of another life. This is 
what I can say upon experience, and what 
will be found to be true when the account is 
made up." 

JAMES HERVEY. 

n^HE last illness of this truly excellent 
1 man commenced in the autumn of the 

332 



year 1758, and in a few months made 
a great and affecting progress. His 
strength became exhausted, and his body 
extremely emaciated, and his whole frame 
so sore that he could scarcely bear to be 
touched, when it was necessary to move 
him, Yet under all this calamity, he was 
ever praising God for his mercies, and for 
enduing him with patience. About three 
hours before his death, he strongly and af- 
fectionately urged a friend of his who was 
present to pay all due attention to the 
care of his everlasting concerns. He en- 
treated him not to be overcharged with 
the cares of this life, but to attend, amidst 
the multiplicity of his business, to the 
" one thing needful." The physician, ob- 
serving the great difficulty and pain with 
which he spoke, desired that he would 
spare himself. "No," said he, "doctor, 
no. You tell me I have but a few mo- 
ments to live. O, let me spend them in 
adoring our great Redeemer." He then 
repeated the verse, "Though my flesh 
and my heart fail me, yet God is the 
strength of my heart, and my portion for- 
3S3 



ever ; " and he expatiated in a most strik- 
ing manner on the words of the apostle, 
' ' All things are yours, life and death, for 
ye are Christ's." " Here," said he, " is 
the treasure of a Christian. Death is 
reckoned in this inventory, and a noble 
treasure it is. How thankful am I for 
death, as it is the passage through which 
I go to the Lord and giver of eternal life, 
and as it frees me from all the misery you 
now see me endure, and which I am will- 
ing to endure as long as God thinks fit ; for 
I know he will in his own good time dis- 
miss me from the body. These light af- 
flictions are but for a moment, and then 
comes an eternal weight of glory. O, 
welcome, welcome, death ! Thou mayest 
well be reckoned among the treasures of 
the Christian. ' To live is Christ, but to 
die is gain.' " 

After these expressions, as the doctor 
was taking his final leave of him, the dy- 
ing saint expressed great gratitude for his 
visits and attention, though it had long 
been out of the power of medicine to cure 
him. He then paused a little ; and being 
384 



raised in a chair, he, with great serenity 
and sweetness of countenance, though the 
pangs of death were upon him, repeated 
these words : " Lord, nowlettest thou thy 
servant depart in peace, according to thy 
holy and most comfortable word ; for mine 
eyes have seen thy salvation." 

In about an hour after he had uttered 
these expressions, he yielded up his pious 
soul to God without a sigh or struggle in 
the forty-fifth year of his age. 

DR. WATTS. 

TWO or three years before his death, 
the active and sprightly powers of his 
nature gradually failed; yet his trust in 
God, through Jesus the Mediator, re- 
mained unshaken to the last. He was 
heard to say, " I bless God, I can lie down 
with comfort at night, not being solicitous 
whether I awake in this world or another." 
And again : " I should be glad to read 
more ; yet not in order to be confirmed 
in the truth of the Christian religion or 
in the truth of its promises, for I believe 
them enough to venture an eternity upon 
them." 

385 



When he was almost worn out and 
broken down by his infirmities, he said, in 
conversation with a friend, " I remember 
an aged minister used to observe that the 
most learned and knowing Christians, 
when they come to die, have only the 
same plain promises of the gospel for their 
support as the common and unlearned ; 
and so I find it. It is the plain promises 
of the gospel that are my support ; and I 
bless God they are plain promises, that 
do not require much labor and pains to 
understand them." 

At times, when he found his spirit 
tending to impatience, and ready to com- 
plain that he could only lead a mere ani- 
mal life, he would check himself thus: 
" The business of a Christian is to bear 
the will of God, as well as to do it. If I 
were in health, I ought to be doing it ; 
and now it is my duty to bear it. The 
best thing in obedience, is a regard to the 
will of God ; and the way to that is, to 
have our inclinations and aversions as 
much mortified as we can." 
386 



With so calm and peaceful a mind, so 
blessed and lively a hope, did the resigned 
servant of Christ wait for his Master's 
summons. He quietly expired in the 
seventy-fifth year of his age. 

LINES ON THE DEATH OF A CHILD. 
WRITTEN BY ITS MOTHER. 

DEAR child ! thou gav'st one parting sigh — 
With that thy spirit fled, 
And winged its flight on high : 

Though gone, thou art not dead ; 
No tears nor prayers its flight could stay — 
'Twas Jesus called : it must obey. 

My son ! I know that thou art blest — 

Blest with the saints in heaven ; 
That thou hast early gone to rest, — 

Sweet rest, — by Jesus given. 
Thine eyes were closed on earth in love, 
To wake in endless bliss above. 

But O, my spirits fail, 

And feel a pang untold — 
Thy ruby lips so pale, 

Thy blushing cheek so cold, 
And dim thine eyes, which once, so bright, 
Did sweetly bless thy mother's sight. 

To lay thy darling form, 
So lovely e'en in death, 

387 



Deep in the cold, damp earth, 

To feed the loathsome worm ; 
Ah ! anguish worse than twice to die, 
And part in pain and agony. 

Like vernal flower he grew, 
Expanding to the rising morn, 

Bright gemmed with sparkling dew — 
The flower without the thorn ; 

A mother's sweet and lovely flower, 

And lovelier blooming every hour. 

Alas ! my morning bloom 
Scarce felt the summer's ray ; 

For O, an unexpected gloom 
Obscured the rising day. 

A wintry cold, and withering blast, 

Low on the ground its beauties cast. 

The blossom leaves are shed 
That oped so fresh and fair, 

The balmy fragrance fled 
That scented sweet the air. 

And prostrate lies the lifeless form, 

A gentle victim of the storm. 

But it again shall rise, 

In heavenly beauty bright, 

To charm my ravished eyes 
With glow of holy light, 

To bloom unfading in the skies, 

And drink the dews of paradise. 



O, this is blest relief, 

My drooping heart to cheer ; 
It soothes my burning grief, 

And gladdens every tear. 
These eyes shall greet my darling then, 
Nor shed a parting tear again ! 

HAPPY CONDITION OF THE BELIEVER. 

HOW happy is the state of a believer, 
to have a sure promise that "all 
things shall work together for good" in the 
end, and in the mean time a sure refuge 
where to find present relief, support, and 
protection ! How comfortable is it, when 
trouble is near, to know that the Lord is 
near likewise, and to commit ourselves 
and all our cares simply to him, believing 
that his eye is upon us and his ear open to 
our prayers ! Under the conduct of such 
a Shepherd we need not fear ; though we 
are called to pass through fire and water, 
he will be with us, and will show himself 
mighty in our behalf. When means and 
hope fail, when every thing looks dark 
about us, when we seem shut up on every 
side, when we are brought to the lowest 
ebb, still our help is in him — in him to 
389 



whom all things are possible, and who has 
assured us that we shall never be forsaken 
by him. He is the unfailing fountain of 
life, grace, strength, and comfort to his 
people, and of his fulness his children re- 
ceive according to their occasions ; so 
that, not unfrequently, the hour of afflic- 
tion is the golden hour or the greatest con- 
solation. Though circumstances and 
creatures change, he will be an unchange- 
able friend. The love and tenderness of 
ten thousand mothers towards their suck- 
lings, if compared with his, are less than a 
drop of water to the ocean. With the eye, 
and the ear, and the heart of a friend, he 
attends to their sorrows, he counts their 
sighs, bottles their tears ; and when their 
spirits are overwhelmed within them, he 
knows their path, and adjusts the time, the 
measure of their trials, and every thing 
that is necessary for their present support 
and seasonable deliverance. He never 
afflicts them willingly, or because he takes 
pleasure in grieving them, but does it 
only for their good, and when they stand 
in need of it. His love towards them is 



the same when he wounds as when he 
heals, when he takes away as when he 
gives. Having redeemed them by his 
blood, he sets a high value upon them ; 
he esteems them his treasures, his jewels, 
and keeps them as the pupil of his eye. 
They shall not want ; they need not fear ; 
for he himself is their Guardian and 
Keeper. On earth he guides their steps, 
controls their enemies, and orders all 
things for good in regard to them ; while 
in heaven he is pleading their cause, pre- 
paring them a place, and communicating 
to them a reviving foretaste of the glory 
that shall shortly be revealed. Happy 
they, who are thus the objects of his love 
and care. Happy the people that are 
in such a case ; yea, blessed are the peo- 
ple who in this manner have the Lord for 
their God. 

Read the 157th Hymn. "Be still, my 
heart ; these anxious cares." 



T 



CHRISTIANS SHOULD REJOICE. 

HAT you may enjoy the comfort of 
religion, let it be your constant care 
391 



to cultivate a holy nearness to God, a close 
living with him ; to seek to be crucified to 
the world, and to have the world crucified 
unto you ; and never forget that it is sin 
alone and unbelief which can wound the 
unbeliever's conscience, or damp the ar- 
dor of his joy. Let this be ardent ; let 
the exercises of faith and holiness produce 
a glad heart and cheerful countenance; 
and in order that you may exhibit it for 
your own comfort, and for the encourage- 
ment of others, I would say, in the Ian. 
guage of the apostle, " Rejoice in the Lord 
always." Rejoice, if you have been made 
a partaker of the grace of God ; rejoice 
in that you have been delivered from the 
fearful pit ; rejoice in the access which is 
opened to you of daily communication be- 
tween earth and heaven, to a throne of 
grace, through the merits of Christ Jesus 
in the rent veil of the Redeemer's grace ; 
rejoice in the privileges that are opened 
to you as the peculiar people of God, ad- 
mission to his table, fellowship with the 
saints, and all the high and countless privi- 
leges of the church ; rejoice in the pre- 
392 



cious blood of Christ, which cleanseth 
from all sin ; rejoice in the agency and 
work of the Spirit, which is given to you 
to be your comforter, your enlightener, 
and your sanctifier; rejoice in the pros- 
pects of glory that awaits you in the world 
to come. 

Read the 15 th Hymn. " All glorious 
God, what hymns of praise." 

Read the 141st Hymn. " O, let tri- 
umphant faith dispel." 



A TRUE Christian knows well the na- 
ture and value of prayer. Prayer is 
intercourse with God, the breath of the 
soul, the channel through which its desires 
are communicated to God * and the bless- 
ings of heaven vouchsafed to man ; it is 
the source of his strength, and joy, and 
peace. When cold and formal, he culls 
but scanty fruit from the varied comforts 
of life, while he finds every temptation to 
evil augmented in its power and influence 
over the mind. When, on the other hand, 
his prayer is warm, fervent, and unremit- 
393 



ting, all is quiet and joyful in his heart. 
The smile and blessing of God are upon 
him, and nothing can disturb the peace- 
ful serenity of his soul. Enjoying the 
friendship of God by prayer and other 
spiritual exercises, he enjoys happiness in 
God. And this he does by the principle 
of faith, — faith which is the result of 
prayer, — which sanctifieth thought, and 
directs its course, and clears its way to 
the calmer and better regions of the heav- 
enly world. 

Many may be the hours of wounded 
hopes and painful disquietudes of mind 
which the Christian experiences in the 
course of his pilgrimage through this vale 
of tears ; but these are sometimes ex- 
changed for hours passed at the throne of 
grace, to which no eye but that of God is 
witness — hours when Christ speaks, and 
pain and sorrow are forgotten — hours, 
when cut off from the din of life, and sep- 
arated from friends, and left alone with 
God, every murmuring is hushed, and 
every privation is repaid — hours when the 
manifestation of the Redeemer's glory to 
394 



the soul has shed a calm and blissful radi- 
ance around every prospect, and proved 
the earnest of that better heritage which 
is incorruptible and undefiled, and that 
fadeth not away forever. 

Read the 134th Hymn. " Prayer is the 
soul's sincere desire." 

HAPPY DEATHS. 

IT is not merely apostles and martyrs 
that have passed triumphantly into 
eternity. Many of the young disciples of 
the Lord have died with as much com- 
posure and as much holy joy as they. H. 
Goulding died in his twenty-fourth year. 
When he felt the approach of death, he 
uttered these rapturous expressions ; " I 
find now it is no delusion. Can this be 
dying ! This body seems no longer to be- 
long to the soul ; it appears only as a cur- 
tain that covers it ) and soon I shall drop 
this curtain, and be set at liberty." Then, 
putting his hand to his heart, he ex- 
claimed, "I rejoice to feel these bones 
give way, as it tells me that I shall be with 
my God in glory." His last words were, 
" Glory, glory, glory." 
395 



The following sentiments were expressed 
by a young girl, who suffered much before 
her death : 

"I have enjoyed for some years more 
comfort than I can express ; then why 
should I repine ? When I am not torn 
with pain, I have always felt peace and 
pleasure. I wish to be in heaven with my 
Savior. I trust I am waiting for his 
coming. I feel extreme pain at times, but 
do not feel one pain in my mind" In her 
latest hours, when the power of speech 
was almost gone, she faintly whispered, 
" Happy, happy," and seemed in prayer 
to say, " Come, my dear Savior, come." 

"It is enough for me," said another, 
"to know I am suffering the will of God. 
Her countenance then frequently beamed 
with benignity and sacred composure. 
The Savior she loved was her hope ; and 
as eternal scenes drew near, her hope re- 
tained all its cheering power. A friend 
observed to her, that her hope was worth 
the world. " More than the world to me, 
sir," was the expressive reply. When her 
last hour approached, she said, " I desire 
396 



to depart and to be with Christ ; I long to 
be with my Savior." She remarked, that 
she would not change places with any of 
her Christian friends who were in health 
around her. Her desires were at length 
accomplished, and her Lord took her to 
her endless home. 

Another young disciple of the Savior, in 
his last illness, remarked, that the thoughts 
of eternity were most pleasant to him. 
He spoke of himself as lying at the Sa- 
vior's feet, willing to receive ease or pain, 
and said, " Death is never once a terror ; 
I am not afraid to die ; it rather seems 
lovely. Christ is everything. He is my 
all in all." 

Such cheering instances of the power 
of divine grace have been almost num- 
berless. One of the last expressions of a 
dying saint, whose piety began in youth, 
was, " Welcome, joy." Another, who 
sought God when but thirteen, feel- 
ing her pulse, while death was stealing on 
her, said, " Well, it will be but a little 
while before my work in this world is 
finished. Then I shall have done with 



prayer. My whole employment in heav- 
en will be praise and love. Here I love 
God faintly, yet I hope sincerely ; there 
it will be perfectly. I shall behold his face 
in righteousness, for I am thy servant, 
Lord, bought with blood. He died to pur- 
chase the life of my soul. A little while 
and I shall be singing that sweet song, 
1 Blessing and honor, and glory and power, 
be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, 
and to the Lamb forever and ever.' " 
With smiles, she often said, " Come, Lord 
Jesus, come quickly. O blessed convoy, 
come and fetch my soul to dwell with God 
and Christ, and perfect spirits forever and 
ever. O, the glory, the glory that shall be 
set on the head of faith and love !" Soon 
after, she said, "Farewell, sin, farewell 
pains," and then in holy peace expired. 
(See p. 404.) 

Yes, there have been scenes of dying 
blessedness, which, hidden in the retire- 
ment of the still death room, have made 
manifest as day the presence of the Savior, 
whispering of celestial joys, lifting to the 
view of the dying visions which the living 
398 



could not perceive, and revealing to the 
departing saint things which only the de- 
parting could understand ; until the rav- 
ished spirit, forgetful of the pains of dis- 
solution, and shrinking from its clay, has 
struggled and hastened to depart, and, 
like a bird let loose, to be free and dis- 
embodied. 

Let those who have witnessed such 
scenes cherish their remembrance for their 
dying hour. Let them rejoice in the con- 
solations which the religion of Jesus has 
provided for all believers, in death as in 
life. And if some beloved spirit has 
passed the portals of the grave in joyful- 
ness and triumph, let them make it their 
frequent prayer, that the love and peace 
by which they were supported may, through 
God's grace, be theirs in the time of their 
last immortal trial. 

11 In vain our fancy strives to paint 

The moment after death ; 
The glories that surround the saint 

When he resigns his breath. 

" Thus much, and this is all, we know — 
They are supremely blest ; 

399 



Have done with sin, and care, and woe, 
And with their Savior rest. 

" On harps of gold his name they praise, 

His presence always view ; 
And if we here their footsteps trace, 

There we shall praise him too." 

MRS. H . 

THERE are few more remarkable in- 
stances of the happy power of reli- 
gion on the mind than that which was ex- 
hibited by Mrs. H., when she drew near 
the close of life. The following account 
of her last illness was drawn up by a per- 
son who attended her throughout : 

From the time of her first seizure, she 
was exercised with very violent pains, 
without any intermission, till her death ; 
such as, she would often say, she thought 
she could not have borne; but "The Lord 
is good," said she, " verily he is good to 
me ! I have found him a good and gra- 
cious God to me, all my days." 

When recovering from extreme pain, 
she remarked, "These pains make me 
love my Savior the better. They remind 
me what he suffered to purchase salvation 



for me — for me, the greatest of sinners — 
for me, who so long refused the rich 
offers of his grace. O, under what obli- 
gations am I to him, and what blessings 
and privileges have I enjoyed at his hands ! 
4 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that 
is within me, bless his holy name. Bless 
the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all 
his benefits/ " 

When any were weeping or mourning 
over her, she would say, " weep not for me ; 
it is the will of God \ therefore be con- 
tent. If it may be for his honor and glory, 
he will spare me a little longer ; if not, I 
am wholly resigned to the will of God. I 
am content to stay here as long as he has 
any thing for me to do or to suffer, and I 
am willing to go if it be my Father's good 
pleasure. Therefore be content, and 
say, ' It is the Lord, let him do what 
seemeth to him good.' " 

To an individual who came to see her 
she said, " I think I shall die ; and now 
what a comfort it is that I am not afraid 
of death ! The blood of Christ cleanseth 
from all sin. But mistake me not ; there 
401 



must be a life and conversation agreeable to 
the gospel, or else our faith in Christ is a 
dead faith. Secure Christ for your 
Friend. Set not your heart on things 
below ; riches, and honors, and what the 
world calls pleasures, are all fading, per- 
ishing things." She then raised her hand 
and said, " O, if I had thousands of gold 
and silver, what could they do for me, now 
that I am dying ? Take the advice of a 
departing friend, who wishes you well. 
Do not set your affections on riches, or on 
any thing here below. Remember, death 
will come in a little while, whether you 
are ready or not. I commend you to 
God. I hope in a short time we shall 
meet again in heaven, the place of perma- 
nent peace, rest and happiness." 

The whole time of her sickness, she was 
in a cheerful, thankful frame of mind. 
She was very grateful for the slightest at- 
tentions that were paid her, and from the 
comfort derived from her medicines. 
"Blessed be God," she would say, "for his 
manifold mercies and blessings. O, how 
many I have ! I want for nothing, unless 
402 



it be a tranquil passage to glory. It was 
free grace that plucked me from the brink 
of ruin, and it is the power of divine.grace 
that has supported me through life. Hith- 
erto. I can say the Lord is gracious. He 
has been very merciful to me, in sustain- 
ing me under all my trials. He sends af- 
fliction, but it is only because it is for our 
profit. I can say, with David, l It is good 
for me that I have been afflicted f it has 
enabled me to discern things which, when 
I was in health, I could not perceive. It 
has made me see more of the vanity and 
emptiness of this world and its transient 
comforts, for at best they are but vanity. 
I can say from experience, I have found 
them to be so, many a time." 

To her husband, the day before she 
died, she said, " My dear, I think I am 
going apace ; and I hope you will be sat- 
isfied, because it is the will of God. You 
have at all times been very good to me, 
and I thank you for it kindly; and now I 
desire you freely to resign me to God. If 
he sees it best to take me to himself, I am 
403 



willing to go. I am willing to be, and to 
bear, what may be most for his glory." 

The evening before she died, she found 
death stealing upon her, and feeling her 
own pulse, said, " Well, it will be but a 
little while before my work in this world 
will be finished. Then I shall have done 
with prayer. My whole employment in 
heaven will be praise and love. Here I 
love God faintly, yet I hope sincerely ; but 
there it will be perfectly. I shall behold 
his face in righteousness, for I am thy 
servant, Lord, bought with thy precious 
blood. A little while, and then I shall be 
singing that sweet song, ' Blessing, and 
honor, and glory and power, be unto Him 
that sitteth upon the throne, and to the 
Lamb forever and ever.' " 

With smiles and transports of joy, she 
often said, " ' Come, Lord Jesus, come 
quickly ! ' Blessed angels ! come and 
fetch my soul, that it may dwell with God, 
and Christ, and perfect spirits forever. 
When I join that blessed society above, 
my pleasures will never end. O the glory 
404 



that shall be set upon the head of faith 
and love ! " 

A few minutes before her departure, 
finding herself going, she desired to be 
lifted up. When this was done, she cheer- 
fully said, " Farewell, sin ! farewell, pain !" 
and so finished her course with joy. 

POWER OF RELIGION. 

r l A HE following interesting examples of 
1 the power of religion on the minds 
of persons in humble life are from the wri- 
tings of the Rev. J. Newton. 

" Permit me," says Mr. N., in writing 
to a nobleman, "to relate some things 
which exceedingly struck me in the con- 
versation I had with a young woman, 
whom I visited in her last illness. She 
was a sober, prudent person, of plain 
sense ; she could read the Bible, but had 
read little besides. Her knowledge of 
the world was nearly confined to the 
parish ; for I suppose she was seldom, if 
ever, twelve miles from home. She had 
known the gospel about seven years be- 
fore the Lord visited her with a lingering 
405 



consumption, which at length removed her 
to a better world. A few days previous 
to her death, in prayer by her bedside, I 
thanked the Lord that he gave her now to 
see that she had not followed ' cunningly- 
devised fables* When I had finished, she 
repeated that expression, ' No,' said she, 
' not cunningly-devised fables ; • these are 
realities indeed. I feel their truth ; I feel 
their comfort. O, tell my friends, tell my 
acquaintance, tell poor sinners, tell ' all 
the daughters of Jerusalem,' alluding to 
Solomon's Song, what Jesus has done for 
my soul ! Tell them that now, in time of 
need, I find him my Beloved and my 
Friend, and as such I commend him to 
them.' 

" She then fixed her eyes steadfastly 
upon me, and proceeded, to the best of 
my recollection, as follows : ' Sir, you are 
highly favored in being called to preach 
the gospel. I have often heard you with 
pleasure ; but give me leave to tell you, 
that I now see all you have said, or that 
you can say, is comparatively but little. 
Nor till you come in my situation, and 
406 



have death and eternity full in your view, 
will it be possible for you to conceive the 
vast weight and importance of the truths 
you declare. O sir, it is a serious thing 
to die ; no words can express what is need- 
ful to support the soul in the solemnity of 
a dying hour.' 

u When I visited her again, she said, ' I 
feel that my hope is fixed upon the Rock 
of Ages ; I know in whom I have be- 
lieved. But the approach of death pre- 
sents a prospect which is, till then, hidden 
from us, and which cannot be described.' 
She said much more to the same purpose ; 
and in all she spoke there was dignity, 
weight, and evidence. Well may we say 
with Elihu, ' Who teacheth like the Lord ?' 

" Many instances of this kind I have 
met with here. I have a poor girl near 
me, whose natural capacity is very small ; 
but the Lord has been pleased to make 
her acquainted alternately with great temp- 
tations and proportionately great discov- 
eries of his love and truth ; sometimes, 
when her heart is enlarged, I listen to her 
with astonishment. I think no books, or 



ministers, I ever met with, have given me 
such impression and understanding of 
what the apostle says, * the deep things of 
God,' as I have, upon some occasions, re- 
ceived from her conversation. 

" We have lost another of the Lord's 
people here ; a person of much experi- 
ence, eminent grace, wisdom, and useful- 
ness. She walked with God forty years. 
She was one of the Lord's poor ; but her 
poverty was decent, sanctified and honor- 
able. She lived respected, and her death 
is considered as a public loss. It is a 
great loss tome; I shall miss her advice 
and example, by which I have been often 
edified and animated. Almost the last 
words she uttered were, ' The Lord is my 
portion, saith my soul.' 

" My attendance upon the sick is not 
always equally comfortable ; but could I 
learn aright, it might be equally instruct- 
ive. Some confirm to me the precious- 
ness of a Savior by the cheerfulness with 
which, through faith in his name, they 
meet the king of Terrors. Others no less 
confirm it by the terror and reluctance 



they discover, when they find they must 
die. For though there are too many who 
sadly slight the blessed gospel while they 
are in health, yet in this place most are 
too far enlightened to be quite thought- 
less about their souls in their last illness, 
if they retain their senses. Then, like the 
foolish virgins, they say, ' Give us of your 
oil.' 

" Through the Lord's goodness, several, 
whom I have visited in these circumstan- 
ces, have afforded me a comfortable hope. 
I have seen a marvellous and blessed 
change take place in a few days, in their 
language, views, and temper. I now visit 
a young person, who is cut short in her 
nineteenth year by the consumption, and 
who, I think, cannot live many days. I 
found her very ignorant and insensible, 
and she remained so a good while ; but 
of late I hope her heart is touched. She 
feels her lost state ; she seems to have 
some right desires, and I cannot but think 
the Lord is teaching her, and will reveal 
himself to her before she departs. 

" But the scene is sometimes different. 
409 



I saw a young woman die the last week. 
I had been often with her ; but the night 
she was removed, she could only say, ' O, 
I cannot live ! I cannot live !' She repeat- 
ed this mournful complaint as long as she 
could speak ; for, as the vital powers were 
more oppressed, her voice changed into 
groans ; her groans grew fainter and faint- 
er, and in about quarter of an hour after 
she had done speaking she expired. { Poor 
creature !' said I to myself, as I stood by 
her bedside, ' if you were a duchess in 
this situation, what could the world do for 
you now ?' I thought, likewise, how many 
things there are that now give us pleasure 
or pain, and assume a mighty importance 
in our view, which, in a dying hour, will 
be no more to us than the clouds that fly 
unnoticed over our heads. Then the 
truth of our Lord's declaration will be 
seen, and felt, and acknowledged : ' One 
thing is needful.' And we shall be ready 
to apply Grotius's dying confession to a 
great part of our lives — ' Ah ! I have con- 
sumed my time in laboriously doing noth- 
ing.' " 

410 



BENEFITS OF A SAVIOR. 

OUR Savior has taken away the sting of 
death ; he hath delivered us from the 
power of Satan, and from the dominion of 
sin; he has borne the punishment of our 
guilt ; has expiated the sentence ; so 
that now, in the consciousness of the glo- 
rious privilege we enjoy, we can serve 
God without fear, in righteousness and 
holiness all our days. And not only has 
he cancelled the guilt of sin, but he has 
destroyed its power ; he reigns in the 
heart of the believer ; he cleanses it of its 
corruptions ; he brings the whole man un- 
der a thorough process of sanctification ; 
so that while he lives he adds one Christ- 
ian grace to another; when he dies he re- 
joices in the hope of the coming glory ; 
when he stands at the bar of judgment, he 
is presented holy and unblamable in the 
sight of God, and of his Savior. 

This is no matter of idle declamation. 
There is many a Christian who could give 
you experience for it. He can take you 
to the house of mourning — to the cham- 
ber of the dying man. He can draw aside 
411 



the curtain which covers the last hours of 
the good man's existence, and show you 
how a good man can die. He can ask 
you to bend your ear, and catch the last 
faltering accents of praise and piety. 
What meaneth that joy, in the midst of 
suffering ? that hope, in the midst of ap- 
proaching dissolution ? that elevation, 
amidst the severest agonies? It is not his 
own merit that sustains him; it is the 
merit of the exalted Savior. It is a hope 
of being found in Christ, and a sense of 
the forgiveness which he hath received at 
his hand. In a word, it is Christ who re- 
solves the mystery ; it is his presence that 
pours tranquillity and joy among such 
scenes of distress ; it is he who dispenses 
fortitude to the dying man, and while joy 
beams upon his countenance, though rela- 
tives and friends are weeping around him, 
he is able to leave them all with this ex- 
ulting testimony, " O death, where is thy 
sting ? O grave, where is thy victory ?" 



' THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE. 



THE " Resurrection and the Life !" 
These are thy magnificent titles, 
Captain of our Salvation ! And therefore 
we commit to thee body and soul, for thou 
hast redeemed both, and thou wilt advance 
both to the noblest and most splendid of 
portions. Who quails and shrinks, scared 
by the despotism of death ? Who fears 
the dashing of those cold, black waters 
which roll between us and the promised 
land? Men and brethren! grasp your 
own privileges. " Men and brethren ! 
Christ Jesus has " abolished death :" will 
ye by your fearfulness throw strength into 
the skeleton, and give back empire to the 
dethroned and the destroyed? Yes ! 
" the Resurrection and the Life " abolished 
death. You must indeed die ; and so far 
death remains undestroyed. But if the 
terrible be destroyed when it can no longer 
terrify, if the enemy be abolished when it 
does the work of a friend, and if the tyrant 
be abolished when performing the offices 
of a servant, then is death destroyed, then 
413 



is death abolished to all who are interest- 
ed in Him who is the " Resurrection and 
the Life," and the noble prophecy is ful- 
filled, "O death, I will be thy plagues! 
O grave, I will be thy destruction !" 

" I HEARD A VOICE FROM HEAVEN." O 

for an angel's tongue, that words so beau- 
tiful might have all their melodiousness, 
saying, Write, "Blessed are the dead 
who die in the Lord," &c. It is yet a 
little while and we shall be delivered from 
the burden and the conflict, and, yet with 
all those who have preceded us in the 
struggle, enjoy the deep ratures of a Me- 
diator's presence. Then, reunited to the 
friends with whom we took sweet counsel 
upon earth, we shall recount our toil only 
to heighten our ecstacy, only that with a 
richer song we may feel and celebrate the 
wonders of redemption. And when the 
morn of the first resurrection breaks upon 
this groaning creation, then shall these 
comfortable words of Holy Writ be un- 
derstood in all their majesty and in all 
their marvel ; and then shall the words, 
too, whose syllables mingle so often with 
414 



the funeral knell, that we are disposed to 
carve them on the cypress tree, rather 
than on the palm, " I am the Resurrec- 
tion and the Life," form the chorus of that 
noble anthem with those for whom Christ 
died, and rose, and revived, shall chant as 
they march from judgment to glory. 

DEATH NOT DREADED BY THE CHRISTIAN. 

SHALL the believer in Christ Jesus 
be appalled at death ? Does he not 
know Christ as having ransomed the souls 
of his people, washed them in his blood, 
and covered them with his righteousness ? 
Has he not found a witness in himself, 
that precious is his soul in the sight of the 
Redeemer? What then? Shall he be 
otherwise than persuaded that Christ will 
watch over the soul at the instant of sep- 
aration from the body, and send a legion 
of bright angels to convey the spirit to 
himself ? Then, safely lodged in paradise, 
the soul shall await reunion with the body, 
unspeakably, though not completely 
blessed. To all this he knows that Christ 
is pledged, and therefore he commits his 



soul to him in confidence, persuaded that 
he is able to keep that which he hath com- 
mitted unto him against that day. And 
not his soul only, but his body also, he 
commits to his custody. Though the 
winds may disperse, the waters ingulf, or 
the fires rarefy the atoms which make up 
his frame, yet he " knows that his Redeem- 
er liveth ; and that though after his skin 
worms destroy his body, yet in his flesh 
shall he see God." In this confidence he 
resigns himself entirely into the hands of 
Christ, and looks forward without dread 
to the hour of his departure, assured that 
those black, cold waters, which roll in 
upon the dying, shall sweep nothing away 
out of the watchfulness of his Guardian ; 
but just bearing him within the sphere of 
his peculiar inspections, give him up to 
his care as a child of the Resurrection, — 
as heir of that inheritance which is incor- 
ruptible and undefiled. 

HEAVEN OPENED. 

THE curtain which overspreads the in- 
visible world is at length drawn aside, 
416 



and we behold our great High Priest en- 
tered "into heaven, there to appear in the 
presence of God for us." We hear the 
songs of the redeemed, expressive of their 
gratitude to Him who loved them, and 
washed them from their sins in his own 
blood, and hath made them "kings and 
priests to God." We see our friends in 
Jesus, from time to time, leaving this 
world, to join that blessed assembly above. 
We hear the voice of their Savior encour- 
aging us " not to sorrow as those who 
have no hope," assuring us that we shall 
meet them again in glory. We are assured 
that the sickness which has deprived us of 
the society of our beloved Christian friends 
is not unto death, but for the glory of 
God ; that the Son of God may be glori- 
fied thereby ; that believers, when absent 
from the body, are present with the Lord; 
that when committing their remains to 
the dust, we are sowing the seed of a glo- 
rious harvest ; and that our sorrow shall 
ere long be turned into joy. Such is the 
strong consolation, under all the sorrows 
of life, which God has given to those 
417 



" who have fled for refuge to lay hold of 
the hope set before them." " Weeping 
may endure for a night, but joy cometh 
in the morning." To believers it shall be 
a morning without clouds, " for the Lord 
will be their everlasting light, and the days 
of their mourning shall be ended." 

RECOGNITION IN HEAVEN. 

OF all the afflictions to which we are 
liable, there is none so painful as the 
death of our friends. And O, what a con- 
soling balm is the doctrine that we shall, 
in the realms above, be restored to their 
fellowship ! This doctrine is involved in 
many passages of Scripture; in the ac- 
count of the last judgment ; in the lan- 
guage of David on occasion of the death 
of his child ; in the parable of the rich man 
and Lazarus ; in the consolation which our 
Savior gives to the penitent sinner on the 
cross; in the assurance administered by 
St. Paul to the Thessalonian believers, 
that they should be his joy and crown of 
rejoicing in the presence of our Lord 
Jesus Christ at his coming ; and in the 
418 



same apostle, forbidding them to sorrow 
for such as had fallen asleep, as though 
they had no hope of being united with 
them, and of being together with the 
Lord ; and in the general use which the 
sacred writers make of the word sleep for 
death, a simile which would be flagrantly 
incorrect, if our recollections, our friend- 
ships and affections, were not renewed in 
a future state. And, in general, the same 
doctrine is taught also through the whole 
book of the Revelation of St. John. 
Happy prospect, that exalts friendship 
into religion ! What blessed society there 
will be above ! 

Apostles, martyrs, prophets there 
Around the Savior stand ; 

And soon our friends in Christ below 
Will join the glorious band. 

PRESENT ENJOYMENT AND FUTURE PROSPECTS 
OF THE CHRISTIAN. 

SWEET is the privilege of prayer, 
To bow before a throne of grace ; 
To leave our every burden there, 

And gain new strength to run our race ; 
To gird our heavenly armor on, 
Depending on the Lord alone ! 
419 



And sweet the whisper of his love, 

When conscience sinks beneath its load ; 
That bids our guilty fears remove, 

And points to Christ's atoning blood. 
O, then 'tis sweet indeed to know 
God can be just and gracious too. 
Sweet is the peace that Jesus gives, 

When all around is dressed in gloom ; 
Tis sweet to know the Savior lives 

When friends are buried in the tomb, 
And those we love are snatched away, 
Like flowers that wither in a day. 
And O, 'tis sweet, when we begin 

To find this earthly house give way, 
To feel a principle within, 

Rising superior to decay ! — 
A hope implanted in the breast, 
Bright foretaste of eternal rest ! 
But to behold ImmanueVs face, 

From sin and sorrow to be freed, 
To dwell in his divine embrace, 

This will be sweeter far indeed. 
The fairest form of earthly bliss 
Is less than nought, compared with this. 
And yet through free and sovereign grace 

I hope ere long these joys to share ; 
Before the throne to find a place, 

That bright, unfading crown to wear, 
And join the ransomed choir above, 
To celebrate redeeming love. 
420 



DEATH OF AN AGED BELIEVER. 

THERE is not a more sublime and in- 
teresting spectacle than the death- 
bed of an aged and consistent believer. It 
is exceedingly interesting to listen to his 
last conversations, and to mark the heav- 
enly aspect of his countenance ; it is 
pleasing to perceive with what tranquil 
and fearless composure he sinks to the 
rest for which he has been prepared by the 
influence of a lively faith, and by a course 
of uniform and exemplary godliness ; and 
while contemplating such a scene, it is al- 
most impossible not to compare it with 
the glorious sunset of an autumnal even- 
ing. The light of Christian experience 
and character, reflected by the venerable 
saint as he approaches the close of his ca- 
reer, seems to throw back a hallowed radi- 
ance upon all its preceding stages ; a hope 
full of immortality triumphs over every 
doubt, and puts to flight every fearful ap- 
prehension, whereby his soul may have 
aforetime been beclouded, his enjoyments 
interrupted, or his usefulness in any meas- 
421 



ure counteracted. The felt presence of a 
divine Redeemer gives energy and anima- 
tion to his voice, imparts a more than 
mortal lustre to his eye, and gilds the 
chamber where he languishes with the 
glories of a better world; and, in propor- 
tion as he nears the moment of departure, 
his moral greatness becomes an increas- 
ingly apparent evidence that all is well 
with him ; for eternity grows brighter and 
brighter, the spirit of the gospel expands 
and diffuses itself through all the faculties 
and affections of his mind, so as it has 
never done before ; and a conviction of 
the divinity of his principles, the safety of 
his state, and the grandeur of his prospects 
gets to be more and more impressive and 
absorbing, till at length all present are 
prompted to exclaim, " Mark the perfect 
man, and behold the upright, for the end 
of that man is peace ; " or to ejaculate the 
fervent prayer, " Let us die the death of 
the righteous, and let our last end be like 
his." 

How blest the righteous when they die, 
When holy souls retire to rest ! 
422 



How mildly beams the closing eye ! 
How gently heaves th' expiring breast ! 

So fades a summer cloud away, 
So sinks the gale when storms are o'er, 

So gently shuts the eye of day, 
So dies a wave along the shore. 

Farewell, conflicting hopes and fears, 

Where lights and shades alternate dwell ; 

How bright the unchanging morn appears ! 
Farewell, inconstant world, farewell. 

DEATH, THE PATH TO GLORY. 

DEATH to a good man is but passing 
through a dark entry, out of a little 
room of his Father's house, into another 
that is blissful and glorious. O, may the 
rays and splendors of my heavenly apart- 
ment shoot far downward, and gild the 
dark entry with such a cheerful gleam as 
to banish every fear when I shall be called 
to pass through. 

THE DEAD. 

THE dead are like the stars by day, 
Withdrawn from mortal eye, 
But not extinct, they hold their way 

In glory through the sky. 
Spirits from bondage thus set free 
Vanish amidst immensity. 

423 



They are in glory, they are with Christ, 
they are separated forever from all the 
temptations and trials of this mortal scene. 
They arrive at home — at their Father's 
house ; and with angels and all the com- 
pany of the beautiful, partake of the ful- 
ness of pleasures which are at his right 
hand forevermore. 

Mortals cry, A man is dead. 
Angels sing, A child is born — 
Born into the world above. 

They our happy brother greet, 
Bear him to the throne of love, 
Place him at the Savior's feet. 

PERSONS SERIOUSLY ILL SHOULD RE MADE 
ACQUAINTED WITH THEIR CONDITION. 

A DYING fellow-creature should never 
be kept in the dark when his ap- 
proaching end is drawing near. Relatives 
and friends should not attempt to comfort 
and soothe him, by endeavoring to per- 
suade him there is no danger, when it 
really exists ; but prove their real love and 
sincerity, by studying every means by 
which they can remove the fear of death, 
and lay before him God's exceeding great 
424 



and precious promises. In communicat- 
ing the fact to him, all unnecessary alarm 
should be avoided, and the fact disclosed 
by his nearest relatives, in the most kind, 
tender, and gradual manner, so as not to 
create terror, or to occasion hopelessness 
and despair; as in certain diseases the 
most serious and injurious effects are pro- 
duced, and the only hope of recovery lost. 

DEATH OF THE RIGHTEOUS. 

THE sinner, in the season of health, 
looks upon futurity with a tranquil 
eye ; but in the last moments of his life, 
when he contemplates it more closely, his 
calmness is changed into faintness and 
terror. 

The just man, on the contrary, during 
the days of his mortal life did not dare to 
look with a fixed eye upon the depths of 
God's judgments. He worked out his 
salvation with fear and trembling. He 
shuddered at the bare thought of that 
awful futurity, in which, even the right- 
eous, if they were judged without mercy, 
could scarcely be saved. But on the bed 
425 



of death the God of peace is present with 
him, and calms his agitation. His terrors 
instantaneously cease, and are changed 
into a delightful hope. He already 
pierces, with expiring eyes, through the 
cloud of mortality which surrounds him, 
and beholds, like Stephen, the bosom of 
glory, and the Son of man at the right 
hand of his Father, ready to receive him ; 
that immortal country after which he had 
so long sighed, and where in spirit he had 
always dwelt ; that holy Zion, which the 
God of his fathers fills with his glory and his 
presence ; where he overwhelms his chosen 
servants with the torrents of his pleasures, 
and daily imparts to them those incom- 
prehensible blessings which he hath pre- 
pared for them who love him ; that city of 
the people of God, the abode of his saints, 
the dwelling-place of prophets, and just 
men made perfect, where he will once 
more find his brethren, whom charity had 
united to him on earth, and with whom he 
will eternally bless the mercy of the Lord, 
and sing the praises of his grace. 

With what joy, then, does he listen to 
426 



the ministers of the church, when they say 
to him, " Depart, Christian soul; go forth 
from this land where you have so long 
been a stranger and a captive ; the time of 
your tribulations and trials is ended. Be- 
hold at length the righteous Judge, who 
comes to break the chains which bind you 
to mortality. Return to the bosom of 
that God from which you sprung. De- 
part, faithful servant of the Lord • you are 
about to be united to the church of heav- 
en, which awaits your coming." 

Those do not perish who sleep in the 
Lord. We lose you on earth only to find 
you again in a very short time with Jesus 
Christ in the kingdom of heaven j the 
body which is about to be consigned to 
the earth will soon follow you in incorrup- 
tion and glory • not a hair of your head 
shall perish ; there will remain in your ashes 
the seeds of immortality, until the day of 
revelation when your dry bones will be 
reanimated, and appear brighter than light. 
What happiness for you to be freed from all 
the miseries with which we still continue to 
be afflicted ; to be no longer exposed, like 
427 



your brethren, to lose the favor of God, 
which you now possess ; to close your eyes 
at last to all the scandals which grieve 
us, to the vanity which seduces us, to 
the example which leads us astray, to 
the attachments which divide our affec- 
tions, to the agitations which distract our 
minds ! What happiness to depart at 
length from a place where every thing 
wearies, and every thing pollutes us ; and 
to go to an abode of peace, serenity and 
gladness, where there is no other occupa- 
tion but to enjoy the God whom we love ! 

ADVANTAGES OF THE CHRISTIAN IN HIS DY- 
ING HOUR. 

WHAT a different aspect does death 
and the grave wear to the Christian, 
and to him who is without hope — the 
poor heathen man ! O, what would many 
a good heathen have given to have had 
the privilege which we possess of looking 
into the glorious redemption of Jesus 
Christ, which tells us of a new heaven and 
a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteous- 
ness ! Before life and immortality were 
428 



brought to light by Christ, death was em- 
phatically " the king of terrors," and the 
grave a place of hopeless annihilation. 
When any loved one died, they knew not 
where he had gone. No light from the 
spiritual world had visited their eyes ; no 
glad tidings of hope and joy, of salvation 
and peace, had been announced to their 
ears. They were as those without hope ; 
for they saw not, through the bright vis- 
ions of faith, the gate of heaven opened, 
and Jesus standing at the right hand of 
God, ready to receive the spirit of their 
departing brother into joy and felicity. 

Often has faith been seen prevailing 
over nature, and hope triumphing over the 
fear of death. Often has been witnessed 
that glorious sight, when death is seen to 
be reft of its sting, and the grave of his 
victory; when the brightest temporal 
hopes, and the richest temporal blessings, 
are resigned without a sigh and without a 
murmur. 

There has been seen the faded counte- 
nance pale and deathlike, and the body 
shattered and emaciated, but the spirit 
429 



within lighted up with the beams of 
immortality. There has been seen, too, 
the young, fair as the lily and lovely as the 
rose, called from the gay and active scenes 
of life, to languish and to fade on the 
couch of death, ready, with a meek and 
contented heart, to relinquish all, that she 
might breathe out her parting spirit with 
a calm and happy confidence into the 
hands of a faithful Savior. No spectacle 
can be a more joyous one, and no privi- 
lege a dearer one to a child of God, than 
to see a dying Christian thus serene and 
tranquil amid the desolation of every hope 
and the ruin of every earthly joy, thus re- 
posing her soul, with a look of heavenly 
sweetness, on the bosom of her God, sim- 
ply trusting in the merits of him in whom 
she had believed • preferring rather to de- 
part, and be with Christ, than to enjoy 
the pleasures of sin for a season. 

Beautifully do the following lines express 
the sentiments of such a one : 

" Though in the paths of death I tread, 
With gloomy horrors overspread, 
430 



My steadfast heart shall fear no ill, 

For thou, O Lord, art with me still. 

Thy friendly crook shall give me aid, 

And guide me through the dreadful shade." 

To what higher source of hope can the 
troubled spirit look in the last hour of 
darkness and distress? On what more 
dear and beloved object can he fix his 
longing eyes than on Him who has al- 
ready traversed the gloomy abodes of 
death and the grave, and reached the 
glorious mansions beyond them, and who, 
like a kind protector, has promised to 
convey him safely thither, so that he need 
fear no evil in passing through those un- 
tried dominions, of which he has become 
the Lord and Master? Now, in this soli- 
tary and dreary walk through the dark 
chambers of death and the grave, the 
Christian has the presence and aid of his 
dear Redeemer. His eye is steadfastly 
fixed upon the dying saint, and his arm 
stretched forth to uphold and support 
him. Yes, Christ is standing at the gate 
ready to deliver him from the miseries of 
this sinful world, and to take him to that 
43i 



rest which remaineth for his people— 
ready to conduct him to his fellow-suffer- 
ers, who have " come out of great tribula- 
tion', and have washed their robes and 
made them white in the blood of the 
Lamb." "They shall hunger no more, 
neither thirst any more ; neither shall the 
sun light on them, nor any heat, for the 
Lamb which is in the midst of the throne 
shall feed them, and shall lead them to 
living fountains of waters, and God shall 
wipe away all tears from their eyes." 

DEPARTED FRIENDS. 

OUR friends who have left us — where 
are they ? We are sure that to them, 
to whom to live it was Christ, to die will 
be gain. Where are they? They are 
where they are perpetually and perfectly 
blessed, in the immediate vision and en- 
joyment of God, within the veil, infinitely 
more happy where they are than where 
they were. Where are they? Why, they 
are in the mansions of light and bliss, that 
are in our Father's house above ; in the 
paradise of God, where they hunger no 
432 



more, nor thirst any more. They are in 
the best company, employed in the best 
works, and enjoying a complete satisfac- 
tion. Where are they? Why, they are 
where there are no complaints ; nothing to 
interrupt their communion with God, or 
to cast a damp upon their spirits. Death 
has done that for them which ordinances 
could not do; has perfectly freed them 
from that body of sin and death, which 
was here their constant burden, and hath 
set them forever out of the reach of temp- 
tation. The spirits of the just are there 
made perfect beyond the perfection of 
Adam in innocency, for they are immu- 
tably confirmed in it. Where are they? 
Why, they are where they would be, in 
their centre, in their element. They are 
where they longed to be, in that blessed 
state, towards which, while they were here, 
they were still reaching forth and pressing 
forward. 

DEATH OF AN ONLY SON. 

I SINCERELY sympathize with you, 
(says Dr. Erskine, in a letter to a 

433 



friend) on your heavy and unexpected 
trial. I have drank deep of the same cup : 
of nine sons, only one survives. From 
what I repeatedly felt, I can form an idea 
what you must feel in having so promising 
an only son taken from you. I cannot, I 
dare not say, " Weep not." Jesus wept 
at the grave of Lazarus, and surely he 
allows you to weep; surely there is a 
" need be " that you feel heaviness under 
such a trial. But O, let hope and joy 
mitigate your heaviness. I know not 
how this, or a former trial, shall work to- 
gether for your good ; but it is enough 
that God knows. He who hath said, 
" All things shall work together for good 
to them that love God," excepts not from 
this promise the sorest trial. You devoted 
your son to God ; you cannot doubt that 
he accepted the surrender. If he has been 
hid in the chambers of the grave from the 
evil of sin, and from the evil of suffering, 
let not your eye be evil when God is good. 
What you chiefly wished for him, and 
prayed for on his behalf, was spiritual and 
heavenly blessings. If the greatest thing 
434 



' 



you wished for is accomplished at the sea- 
son and in the manner infinite wisdom 
saw best, refuse not to be comforted; 
you know not what work and joy have 
been waiting for him in that world where 
" God's servants shall serve him." 

Should you sorrow immoderately, when 
you have such ground of hope that he and 
his other parent are rejoicing in what you 
lament ? I know that nature will feel ; 
and I know that suppressing its emotions, 
in such cases, is not profitable either for 
soul or body ; but I trust that, though you 
mourn, God will keep you from murmur- 
ing, and that you shall have to glory in 
your tribulation, while the power of Christ 
is manifested thereby. 

Read the 124th Hymn, " Hear what the 
voice from heaven declares." 

Read the 125th Hymn, "When those 
we love are snatched away." 

THE DEAD IN CHRIST. 
By Bishop Doane. 

LIFT not thou the wailing voice ; 
Weep not, 'tis a Christian dieth ; 



Up where blessed saints rejoice, 

Ransomed now, the spirit flieth. 
High in heaven's own light he dwelleth ; 
Full the song of triumph swelleth ; 
Freed from earth, and earthly failing, 
Lift for him no voice of wailing ! 

Pour not thou the bitter tear ! 

Heaven its book of comfort op'neth, 
Bids thee sorrow not, nor fear, 

But as one who always hopeth. 
Humbly here in faith relying, 
Peacefully in Jesus dying ; 
Heavenly joy his eye is flushing — 
Why should thine with tears be gushing ? 

They who die in Christ are blest, — 
Ours be then no thought of grieving ! 

Sweetly with their God they rest ; 
All their toils and troubles leaving. 

So be ours the faith that saveth ; 

Hope, that every trial braveth ; 

Love, that to the end endureth, 

And through Christ the crown secureth. 

ON THE LOSS OF A CHILD. 

I SINCERELY sympathize with you on 
the loss of your child ; but do not suf- 
fer your spirits to sink. Remember the 
tenure on which all human enjoyments 
are held, the wisdom and sovereignty of 
436 



their great Author, and the gracious prom- 
ises afforded to true Christians that " All 
things shall work together for good to 
them that love God." 

Remember, also, the many blessings 
which a kind Providence still allows you. 
Ought you not to rejoice that your affec- 
tionate companion in life is spared, and 
that though your child is snatched from 
your embraces, he has escaped from a 
world of sin and sorrow ? The stamp of 
immortality is placed on his happiness, 
and he is encircled by the arms of his 
compassionate Redeemer. Had he been 
permitted to live, and you had witnessed 
the loss of his virtue, you might have been 
reserved to suffer still severer pangs. A 
most excellent family in our congregation 
are now melancholy spectators of a son 
dying at nineteen years of age, a vic- 
tim to his vices. They have frequently 
regretted he did not die several years 
since, when his life was nearly despaired 
of in a severe fever. " Who knoweth 
what is good for man all the days of his 
vain life, which he spends as a shadow ?" 
437 



Read the 127th hymn, "As the sweet 
flower that scents the morn." 

DEATH OF AN INFANT. 

HARK ! how the angels, as they fly. 
Sing through the region of the sky, 
Bearing an infant in their arms, 
Securely freed from sin's alarms ! 

" Welcome, dear babe, to Jesus' breast, 
Forever there in joy to rest ; 
Welcome to Jesus' courts above, 
To sing the great Redeemer's love. 

" We left the heavens and flew to earth, 
To watch thee at thy mortal birth ; 
Obedient to thy Savior's will, 
We staid to love and guard thee still. 

" We, thy protecting angels, came 
To see thee blessed in Jesus' name ; 
When the baptismal seal was given, 
To mark thee, child, an beir of heaven. 

" When the resistless call of death 
Bade thee resign thy infant breath, — 
When parents wept, and thou didst smile, — 
We were thy guardians all the while. 

" Now with the lightning's speed we bear 
The child committed to our care ; 
With anthems such as angels sing 
We fly to bear thee to our King." 

438 



Thus sweetly borne, he flies to rest ; 
We know 'tis well — nay, more, 'tis best ; 
When we our pilgrim's path have trod, 
O, may we find him with our God ! 
ON THE LOSS OF A WIFE. 

1HAVE just been informed of the loss 
of your dear wife. She was mortal, 
but she is now become immortal. Should 
this cause you to grieve immoderately ? O 
that I was where she is now ! — 

"Safe landed on that peaceful shore, 
Where pilgrims meet to part no more." 

She was once a mourning sinner in the 
wilderness, but is now a glorified saint in 
Zion. The Lord has become her ever- 
lasting light, and the " days of her mourn- 
ing are ended." Does this overwhelm 
you ? She was once afflicted with bodily 
pains and weakness, encompassed with 
family cares, and harassed with a crowd 
of anxious, needless fears ; but she is now 
at her Father's house, and Jesus has 
wiped away all tears from her eyes, and 
freed her in a moment from pain, and 
care, and fear, and want ; and shall this 
make you sorrow as those who have no 
hope? 

439 



You have not left your wife ; she has 
only left you for a little moment, — left her 
husband on earth, to visit her Father in 
heaven, — and expects your arrival there 
soon, to join her hallelujahs for redeem- 
ing love. And are you still weeping? 
weeping because your wife can weep no 
more ! weeping because she is happy ! 
eternally, gloriously happy ! weeping be- 
cause she is joined to the blessed assem- 
bly, where all are kings and priests ! weep- 
ing because she is where she would be, 
and where she longed to be, eternally! 
The Lord Jesus has called her home to 
his kingdom, to draw your soul more ar- 
dently thither ; he has broken up a cistern 
to bring you nearer, and keep you closer, 
to the overflowing fountain of all felicity. 

Tis finished ! the conflict is passed, 

The heaven-born spirit is fled ; 
Her wish is accomplished at last, 

And now she's entombed with the dead. 
The months of affliction are o'er, 

The days and nights of distress ; 
We see her in anguish no more — 

She has found a happy release. 
440 • 



No sickness, or sorrow, or pain, 

Shall ever disquiet her now ; 
For death to her spirit was gain — 

Since Christ was her life when below. 
Her soul has now taken its flight 

To mansions of glory above, 
To mingle with angels of light, 

And dwell in the kingdom of love. 

The victory now is obtained ; 

She has gone her dear Savior to see ; 
Her wishes she fully has gained — 

She's now where she longed to be, 
Then let us forbear to complain 

That she has now gone from our sight ; 
We soon shall behold her again, 

With new and redoubled delight. 

DEATH OF FRIENDS. 

FRIEND after friend departs ! 
Who hath not lost a friend ? 
There is no union here of hearts 

That finds not here an end. 
Were this frail world our final rest, 
Living or dying, none were blest. 

Beyond the flight of time, 

Beyond the reign of death, 
There surely is some blessed clime 

Where life is not a breath, 
Nor life's affections transient fire, 
Whose sparks fly upward and expire. 
441 



There is a world above. 

Where parting is unknown — 
A long eternity of love, 

Formed for the good alone. 
And faith beholds the dying here 
Translated to that glorious sphere. 

Thus star by star declines 

Till all are passed away ; 
And morning high and higher shines, 

To pure and perfect day, 
Nor sink those stars in empty night 
But hide themselves in heaven's own light. 
HAPPINESS OF HEAVEN. 

ALL the religious experience of earth 
affords but a faint emblem of the 
bliss of heaven. The delight that Christ- 
ians now experience kindles into rapture 
at the thought of the richer delight that 
awaits them above. Among the children 
of God in heaven, (all happy,) the degree 
of happiness may vary, for it depends on 
the capacity of enjoyment possessed by 
each ; and this, again, upon improvement 
of character, and of talent, and of trust ; 
and, therefore, they who have prepared 
most for heaven will be most happy in 
heaven. Saints in heaven are perfectly 
442 



happy, because perfectly holy. Here 
they taste of the streams that flow from 
the infinite fulness of their Father and 
their God ■ there they will have come to 
the fountain itself. Have they here re- 
ceived, now and then, a bunch of grapes 
from the better Canaan ? there they will 
have free and full access to the tree of life 
that is in the paradise of God. Here they 
have many a troubled, many a stormy, 
and many a cloudy day; there every 
storm and peril is past • and having en- 
tered through the gates, into the city, all 
is peace, triumph, and perfection. There 
they shall have everlasting joy and glad- 
ness ; and sorrow and sighing, and clouds 
and shadows, having forever fled away, 
they shall abide under a cloudless sky in 
regions of eternal bliss. If every step 
here is through a vale of tears, there it is 
through a land of pure delights. In the 
house of their Father above they shall 
hunger no more, nor thirst any more ; 
neither shall the sun light on them, nor 
any heat. And if any recollection of for- 
mer sufferings remain, it will only serve to 
443 



enhance their enjoyment and augment 
their wonder, as they view the intricate 
mazes through which divine wisdom con- 
ducted them. Our happiness will be 
made complete by beholding the bright- 
ness of the Father's glory, in the vision of 
which we shall rejoice with joy unspeak- 
able and full of glory, by the presence of 
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Yes, 
there we shall see the Savior — our Friend, 
our Priest, our Sacrifice, our All. There 
we shall love him in return for all his in- 
finite love, and bless and worship him with 
a growing adoration and dilating grati- 
tude forever and ever. It will indeed be 
heaven to see him as he is, and love with 
a passion like his. O, that exquisiteness 
of joy! those gushes of pure, perennial 
bliss, which the saints will experience in 
singing praises and songs of deliverance to 
God and the Lamb forever ! O, what 
rapture, to be engaged in penetrating the 
mysteries of Providence, in listening to 
the music of the spheres, and the jubilee of 
the universe ; in gazing with untold ecstasy 
on the face of God and the Lamb, and 



deriving from Him, who is the sea of light 
and love, fulness of joy and pleasures for- 
evermore ! But eye hath not seen, nor 
ear heard, neither hath it entered into the 
heart of man to conceive, what God hath 
laid up for them who love him. 

Read the 199th Hymn, "There is a 
land of pure delight." 

Read the 28th Hymn, " With joy shall 
I behold the day." 

HEAVEN. 

T IGHT, peace, and joy, and righteousness, 
■L' Are there in sinners seen, 
Washed in the Savior's precious blood, 
Holy, pure, and clean. 

Who would not be with Christ, the Lord, 

Victorious over sin ? 
Who would not leave all here to dwell 

In bliss — in heaven with hirn ? 

O, fit me for that brighter world, 

Unworthy though I be ; 
Yet never was that one cast out 

Who came by faith to thee. 

ETERNITY. 

ETERNITY is the brightest jewel in 
the triumphant believer's crown. 



Eternity makes heaven a heaven indeed. 
If the Christian's life here, instead of be- 
ing crowned with numerous blessings, were 
but one scene of distress, yet with eternal 
life as his portion, how short would be the 
sorrow ! how long, how lasting the joy ! how 
short the pain ! how endless the delight ! 
how few the moments of grief and con- 
flict ! how many the ages of triumph and 
bliss ! Earth you cannot have long, 
but heaven you may have forever. 
Here you cannot long enjoy even the 
poor fading pleasures of time, but there 
you may possess a whole eternity of 
blessedness. How blissful the thought of 
eternity must be to those happy spirits 
that have entered " the heavenly rest !" — 
;< this pure, unbounded happiness, this 
world of bliss, and light, and joy forever !" 
Infinite ages shall roll away, vast eternity 
still glide along ; but not one sorrow will 
they know, not one sigh will escape their 
hearts, not one tear drop from their eyes, 
not one joy will they lose, not one pass- 
ing cloud will bedim their day. In Eman- 
uel's land will they ever dwell ; still will 
446 



they enjoy the blessings of their Father's 
love and of their Redeemer's favor in the 
highest perfection, nor even fear the loss 
of what they have. Eternity is the 
measure of their bliss. And what is eter- 
nity? Who can describe it? who can 
comprehend it ? None. Were the house 
you inhabit to be filled with the finest 
sand, and then emptied so slowly that but 
the smallest grain should be taken out 
once in ten thousand years, how many 
millions of ages would pass away before 
the last grain were removed ! Yet, com- 
pared with eternity, those countless years 
would be like the twinkling of an eye. 
Again : were the mighty seas, which dash 
their waves upon so many shores, to be 
suddenly changed into one mass of ink, 
and then to be employed in numbering 
down figures, and the least figure to signi- 
fy a million of years, what countless ages 
would be numbered down before the seas 
were emptied ! yet he who wrote the last 
figure might say, " These ages are not 
eternity ; they are nothingness itself com- 
pared with that — less than one drop to all 

447 



the sea, less than one moment to all those 
infinite years ; they are like a tale that is 
told, or a sigh that is forgotten. Once 
more : were this vast world one mass of 
sand, and were God to create as many 
worlds as there might be grains of sand in 
this, and were he then to commission an 
angel to destroy them all by removing grain 
after grain, yet so slowly that he should 
remove but one grain in a million of years, 
what millions, and millions, and millions 
of years, beyond all thought and con- 
ception, would pass away before one 
world was thus destroyed ! and O, how 
many, before all these numbers were ! 
What an eternity would be here ! An 
eternity? No, not a moment compared 
with it. Sand after sand would be re- 
moved, though at so infinitely slow a rate ; 
world after world would be destroyed, and 
the angel would finish his task — but finish 
not eternity. Eternity would be eternity 
still. One grain of sand would bear some 
proportion to these numberless worlds, 
one moment to these countless millions of 
ages, but all these would bear none to 
448 



eternity ; when they were past, it would 
still be " beginning, rather than beginning 
to begin." And had we lived through 
these inconceivably countless years, when 
we had seen them pass, and even pass a 
thousand years over, we might still say? 
"but a moment of eternity is passed." 
Beyond ages that we might almost deem 
an eternity, other eternities would rise in 
endless succession. Such is the " forever " 
of heaven. And this eternity is yours, 
and it is mine ; and in this we must live 
either in happiness or misery. 

Be this, then, our great business here, 
With holy trembling, holy fear, 

To make our calling sure, 
God's utmost counsel to fulfil, 
And suffer all his righteous will, 
And to the end endure. 
Thus doing, we shall be received into 
heaven with the glorious testimony of our 
Lord, "Well done, good and faithful 
servant; enter into the joy of the 
Lord." 



THE YOUNG. 

I WOULD speak affectionately to you 
who are in the bloom of your days, 
and conjure you, " if there be any vir- 
tue, and if there be any praise," to " re- 
member your Creator in the days of your 
youth." Whilst you are still strangers to 
the seductions of an insnaring world, I 
would warn you against the evils which will 
gird you round when you go forth from 
the peaceful asylums of your childhood, 
and mix, as you unavoidably must, with 
those who lie in wait to destroy the un- 
wary. I would tell you that there is no 
happiness but in the fear of the Almighty; 
that, if you would so pass through life as 
not to tremble and quail at the approach 
of death, make it your morning and your 
evening prayer that the Holy Spirit may 
take possession of your souls, and lead 
you so to love the Lord Jesus in sincerity 
that you may not be allured from the holi- 
ness of religion by any of the devices of a 
wicked generation. You read of a mon- 
arch who wept as his countless army 



passed before him, staggered by the 
thought that yet a few years and those 
stirring hosts would lie motionless in the 
chambers of the grave. Might not a 
Christian minister weep over you, as he 
gazes on the freshness of your days, and 
considers that it is but too possible that 
you may hereafter give ear to the scorner 
and the seducer ? Thus might the buds 
of early promise be nipped, and it might 
come to pass that you, the children, it 
may be, of pious parents, over whose in- 
fancy a godly father may have watched, 
and whose opening hours may have been 
guarded by the tender solicitudes of a 
righteous mother, would entail on your- 
selves a heritage of shame, and go down 
at the judgment into the pit of the unbe- 
liever and profligate. Let this warning 
word be remembered by you all ; it is 
simple enough for the youngest \ it is im- 
portant enough for the oldest. You can- 
not begin too soon to serve the Lord, but 
you may easily put it off too long ; and 
the thing which will be least regretted 
when you come to die is, that you gave 
45i 



the first days of existence to preparation 
for heaven. — Melville. 

THE BIBLE. 

WE are bound to sit down to the study 
of Scripture with a meek and chast- 
ened understanding. We tell the young 
more especially, who, in the pride of an 
undisciplined intellect, would turn to St. 
Paul as they turn to Bacon or Locke, ar- 
guing that what was written for man must 
be comprehensible by man, — we tell them 
that nothing is excellent out of its place ; 
and that, in the examination of Scripture, 
then only does Reason show herself noble, 
when, conscious of the presence of a king, 
the knee is bent and the head uncovered. 
The docility and submissiveness of a child 
alone befit the student of the Bible ; and if 
we would not have the whole volume 
darkened, its simplest truths eluding the 
grasp of our understanding, or gaining, at 
least, no hold on our affections, we must 
lay aside the feelings which we carry into 
the domains of science and philosophy ; 
not arming ourselves with a chivalrous re- 



solve to conquer, but with one which it is 
a thousand fold harder either to form or 
execute — to yield. 

IF we live as Christians, then the Lord 
will delight to hear our requests, our 
thanksgivings will abound, and " our joy 
will be full." Our souls will daily become 
more and more enriched with all spiritual 
graces and blessings ; and we shall not 
only attain " to the full assurance of 
hope," but shall ardently long for the 
period when death shall liberate our 
spirits, and put them in possession of the 
felicity of heaven. 

COMMUNION with God here is the 
first dawning of heaven, the first glad- 
some appearings of glory; the meridian, 
the noonday, of happiness is in heaven. 
When God dwells with the soul, and con- 
tinues to grant communion, heaven is with 
that soul. Where the king is, there is the 
court. 

GOD is ever ready to grant, and to ex- 
ceed our prayers for promised bless- 
ings ; and we are our own enemies if we 
453 



do not ask and expect great things from 
him, for the merits and through the inter- 
cession of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. 

THOSE trees flourish most and bear the 
sweetest fruit which stand most in the 
sun. The praying Christian is nigh to 
God, and hath God nigh to him, in all he 
calls upon him for ; and therefore his fruit 
is not only plentiful, but sweet and ripe, 
whereas he that stands, as it were, in the 
shade, and at a distance from God, 
(through neglect of duty,) has but little 
fruit on his branches, and that green and 
sour. 

AS much as lies in thy power, shun 
worldly company ; for much conver- 
sation on worldly affairs, however inno- 
cently managed, greatly retards the pro- 
gress of spiritual life. 

WITHOUT perpetual watchfulness 
and diligence holiness can never be 
attained ; for the moment we begin to re- 
lax in these, we feel inward imbecility, 
disorder, and disquietude. We will make 



greater advances in imitating the life of 
Christ in proportion to the greater vio- 
lence with which we deny ourselves. 

WORLDLY MINDEDNESS. 

IT is our great unhappiness that the soul 
is always in the senses, and the senses 
are always upon the world : we converse 
with the world, we talk of the world, we 
think of the world, we project for the 
world; and what can this produce but a 
worldly frame of mind ? We must medi- 
tate heavenly things, we must have our 
conversation in heaven, we must accus- 
tom ourselves to inward and heavenly 
pleasures, if we will have heavenly minds. 
We must let no day pass wherein we must 
not sequester ourselves from the world, 
that we may converse with God and our 
own souls. This will soon enable us to 
disdain the low and beggarly satisfaction 
of the outward man, and make us long to 
be set free from the weight of this corrupt- 
ible body, to breathe in purer air, and 
take our fill of refined and spiritual pleas- 
ure. 



HOLINESS OF HEAVEN. 

HOW vain must be our hope of entering 
into heaven, if we have no present 
delight in what are said to be its joys ! A 
Christian finds his happiness in holiness ; 
and therefore, when he looks forward to 
heaven, it is the holiness of the scene and 
association on which he fastens as afford- 
ing the happiness. He is not in love with 
an Arcadian paradise, with the green pas- 
tures, and the flowing waters, and the 
minstrelsy of many harpers. He is not 
dreaming of a bright island where he shall 
meet buried kinsfolk, and, renewing do- 
mestic charities, live human life again in 
all but its cares and tears, and partings. 
"Be ye holy, for I am holy ;" this is the 
precept, attempted conformity to which is 
the business of a Christian's life, perfect 
conformity to which shall be the blessed- 
ness of heaven. Let us therefore take 
heed that we deceive not ourselves. The 
apostle speaks of " tasting the powers of 
the world to come," as though heaven 
were to begin on this side the grave. We 
456 



may be enamoured of heaven, because we 
think that " there the wicked cease from 
troubling, and the weary are at rest." We 
may be enchanted with the poetry of its 
descriptions, and fascinated by the bril- 
liancy of its colorings, as the evangelist 
John relates his visions, and sketches the 
scenery on which he was privileged to 
gaze. But all this does not prove us on 
the high road to heaven. Again we say, 
that, if it be heaven towards which we 
journey, it will be holiness in which we 
delight ; for if we cannot now rejoice in 
having God for our portion, where is our 
meetness for a world in which God is to 
be all in all, forever and forever ? 

TRIALS OF THE CHRISTIAN. 

IT is our nature to rejoice when all with- 
in and without is undisturbed] the 
miracle is to " rejoice in tribulation," and 
this miracle is continually wrought as the 
believer presses through the wilderness. 
The harp of the human spirit never yields 
such sweet music as when its framework 
is most shattered and its strings are most 
457 



torn. Then it is, when the world pro- 
nounces the instrument useless, and man 
would put it away as incapable of melody, 
that the finger of God delights in touching 
it, and draws from it a fine swell of har- 
mony. Come night, come calamity, come 
affliction ! God still says to his people, 
as he said to the Jews when expecting the 
irruption of the Assyrian, " Ye shall have 
a song as in the night." 

I^HE whole course of a man's life out of 
Christ is nothing but a continual 
trading in vanity ; running a circle of toil 
and labor, and reaping no profit at all. 

OLOST to virtue, lost to manly thought, 
j Lost to the noble sallies of the soul, 
Who think it solitude to be alone ! 
Communion sweet, communion large and high, 
Our reason, guardian angel, and our God — 
Then nearest these when others most remote ; 
And all, ere long, shall be remote but these. 

GOD, and Christ, and the things of 
eternity are suited to the soul ; they 
are spiritual, like thy spiritual and better 
part ; and though to a carnal heart these 

45S 



seem but empty and notional things, yet a 
child of God tastes more' sweetness and 
comfort in these things than in whatever 
the world can present unto him. The 
love of God, the consolations of his Spirit, 
actings of grace, hopes of glory, — these 
invisible things, — these are the true riches. 

THE whole life of a Christian here on 
earth, is but, as it were, one continued 
sitting under the hand and pencil of the 
Holy Ghost, till those first lines and ob- 
scurer shadows which were laid in his new 
birth receive more life, sweetness, and beau- 
ty from his progressive sanctification ; and 
this is a being " changed from glory to 
glory." 

WHO can estimate the blessed?iess of 
a pious soul ? Can that soul be un- 
happy that is full of the Holy Ghost, full 
of love, joy, peace, &c., &c, those bless- 
ed fruits of that blessed spirit ? This soul 
is a temple of holiness. Here dwells a 
Deity in his glory. It is a paradise — a 
garden of God. Here he walks and con- 
verses daily, delighted with its fruitfulness. 
459 



He that hath these things and aboundeth, 
is not barren not unfruitful in the know- 
ledge of our Lord and Savior. He is the 
Sun, and the knowledge of him the quick- 
ening beams that cherish and ripen these 
fruits. But the soul that lacketh these 
things is a desert, a habitation of Satan 
and of unclean things. 

TO thee, O Christian, it is given to hold 
communion with the Creator, to be- 
come the friend of the Almighty. Truly 
your fellowship is with the Father, and his 
Son Jesus Christ. If it be great and hon- 
orable to be near the person and around 
the throne of an earthly king, how truly 
glorious are they whom the King of glory 
delighteth to honor ! The mind never 
makes nobler exertions, is never so con- 
scious of its native grandeur and ancient 
dignity, as when holding high converse 
with its Creator. The heart never feels 
such unspeakable peace as when it is fixed 
on Him who made it ; as when its affec- 
tions go out on the supreme beauty ■ as 
when it rests upon the Rock of Ages, and 
460 



is held within the circle of the everlasting 
arms. 

It is some consolation — it is some re- 
lief — to open our hearts to men • to tell 
our sorrows to a friend, who can give us 
no relief but by mingling his tears with 
ours. What consolation, what relief, will 
it then give, to open our hearts and tell 
our sorrows to that Friend above, who 
never fails, who sympathizes with us in all 
our afflictions, and who keeps us as the 
apple of his eye ! Art thou therefore op- 
pressed with the calamities of life ? Is 
thy head bowed down with affliction, or 
thy heart broken with sorrow ? Approach 
to the altar ; go to God ; present to him 
the prayer of thy heart, and he will send 
thee help from his holy hill. By approach- 
ing God we become like God. By devo- 
tion on earth we anticipate the work of 
heaven ; we join ourselves beforehand to 
the society of angels and blessed spirits 
above \ we already enter upon the delight- 
ful employments of eternity, and begin 
the song which is heard forever around 
the throne of God. 

461 



ELECTION. 

WHEN God decrees an end, he de- 
crees also the means. If, then, he 
have elected me to obtain salvation in the 
next life, he has elected me to the prac- 
tice of holiness in this life. Would I as- 
certain my election to the blessedness of 
eternity ? It must be by practically de- 
monstrating my election to newness of 
life. It is not by the rapture of feeling, 
and by the luxuriance of thought, and by 
the warmth of those desires which de- 
scriptions of heaven may stir up within 
me, that I can prove myself predestined to 
a glorious inheritance. If I would find 
out what is hidden, I must follow what is 
revealed. The way to heaven is dis- 
closed. Am I walking in that way? It 
would be poor proof that I was on my 
voyage to India, that, with glowing elo- 
quence and thrilling poetry, I could dis- 
course on the palm groves and the spicy 
isles of the East. Am I on the waters ? 
Is the sail hoisted to the wind ? and does 
the land of my birth look blue and faint in 
462 



the distance ? The doctrine of election 
may have done harm to many, but only 
because they have fancied themselves 
elected to the end, and have forgotten that 
those whom Scripture calls elected are also 
elected to the means. The Bible never 
speaks of men as elected only to be saved 
from the shipwreck; but as elected to 
tighten the ropes, and hoist the sails, and 
stand to the rudder. Let a man search 
faithfully ; let him see that, when Scrip- 
ture describes Christians as elected, it is 
as elected to faith, as elected to sanctifi- 
cation, as elected to obedience ; and the 
doctrine of election will be nothing but a 
stimulus to effort. It cannot act as a 
soporific. It cannot lull me into secu- 
rity. It cannot engender licentiousness. 
It will throw ardor into the spirit, and fire 
into the eye, and vigor into the limb. 
I shall cut away the boat, and let drive all 
human devices, and gird myself, amid the 
fierceness of the tempest, to steer the 
shattered vessel into port. 



463 



WITH God there is no freeman but 
his servant, though in the galleys j 
no slave but the sinner, though in a pal- 
ace ; none noble but the virtuous, if never 
so basely descended ; none rich but he that 
possesseth God, even in rags ; none wise 
but he that is a fool to himself and to the 
world ; none happy but he whom the 
world pities. Let me be free, noble, rich, 
wise, happy, to God ; I care not what I 
am to the world. 

PRAYER moves the hand that moves 
all things. If we have the ear of 
God we are sure of the hand of God. O, 
then, pray for the Holy Ghost — the spirit 
of prayer ! Without him we are without 
love, without humility, without fervor, 
without spirituality. It is when " we pray- 
always with all prayer and supplication in 
the spirit," — it is then that we pray heart- 
ily and effectually. Then it is that the 
love of God will dwell richly with us, and 
that we will shine in all the beauties of 
holiness, reflecting the image of Him with 
whom we are in the habit of constant in- 
464 



tercourse and communion. We will be 
" holy in all manner of conversation," and 
" be fruitful in every good word and 
work," living not to ourselves, but to Him 
who died for us and rose again. 

AS Christ is our Savior and Intercessor, 
we can now come with boldness to 
the throne of grace, and address God with 
all the confidence of children. 

Yes, Christian, thou hast been redeemed 
by the precious blood of Christ, and thou 
art now privileged to approach God as a 
reconciled Father and Friend. Pray, then, 
in faith. Consider thy great High Priest. 
Think of the virtue of his blood and the 
prevalency of his intercession. Come, 
then, with holy confidence. Never canst 
thou know the inexhaustible love of thy 
Savior. Believe him, therefore; confide 
in him ; be a constant suppliant at his 
throne of grace. Cast all thy burden upon 
him also, and be at peace. For thou art 
as much the object of his tender love and 
care as if thou, wert his lone child in the 
wide tiniverse of nature. Wherefore fear 
not, but believe. 

465 



THE Savior mingles his own prayers 
with ours. He joins with us, and, as 
it were, petitions that our petitions be re- 
ceived. He adds the virtue of his merits 
to our prayers ; and this, as incense, 
sweetens and makes them acceptable; 
and this was typified by the legal service. 
While the people under the law were 
praying without, the priest offered incense 
within ; answerable to which Christ offers 
incense to sweeten our prayers, and to 
make them ascend as a delightful odor 
before God. 

THE examples of a mature virtue are 
very few ; and the love of God and 
of goodness in the bosoms of most Christ- 
ians suffers such an alloy and mixture, 
that it is no wonder at all if so imperfect 
a state breed but very weak and imper- 
fect hopes, very faint and doubtful joys. 

THE Lord feasts the saints — feasts 
them with manna from heaven — with 
angels' food. His divine truths are deli- 
cacies, sweeter than honey or the honey- 
comb to the renewed soul. He gives his 
466 



children sweet intimations of his love ; 
peace that passes all understanding ; joy 
unspeakable and full of glory. The full 
fruition of these joys are reserved for heav- 
en ; yet some drops fall from those rivers 
of pleasure that are at his right hand to 
refresh us in our pilgrimage. He conveys 
to us in this wilderness some clusters of 
grapes and figs ; though we must stay for 
a full vintage till we come to Canaan. 
Some of our Master's joy enters us here - } 
but there we shall bathe ourselves in an 
immense ocean of pleasure and sweetness 
to all eternity. 

THUS solid indeed is the happiness of 
the saints, that in the lowest condi- 
tion it remains the same. In disgraces, 
in caves, in prisons, and chains, — cast 
them where you will, — still they are happy. 
A diamond in the mire, sullied and tram- 
pled on, yet still retains its own worth. 

PLEASURES OF RELIGION. 

THE pleasure of the religious man is 
an easy and portable pleasure, such 
a one as he carries about in his bosom, 

467 



without alarming either the eye or the 
envy of the world. A man putting all his 
pleasures into this one is like a traveller 
putting all his goods into one jewel ; the 
value is the same, and the convenience 
greater. — South. 

RECOLLECTION IN RELIGION. 

RECOLLECTION is the life of reli- 
gion. The Christian wants to know 
no new thing, but to have his heart eleva- 
ted more above the world, by secluding 
himself from it as much as his duties will 
allow, that religion may effect its great 
end, by bringing its sublime hopes and 
prospects into more steady action on the 
mind. — Cecil. 

RELIGION. 

TAKE away God and religion, and men 
live to no purpose, without proposing 
any worthy and considerable end of life 
to themselves. — Tillotson. 

LIFE, like every other blessing, 
Derives its value from its use alone ; 
Not for itself, but for a nobler end, 
The Eternal gave it ; and that end is virtue. 



THE joy which the Christian experiences 
in fellowship with God, is beyond ex- 
pression. It is a joy unspeakable, nay, 
not only beyond expression but above 
comprehension — for the peace of God 
passeth all understanding. 

AS the soul liveth in the body, and the 
body is animated by the soul, so is 
the soul animated by Christ, and depends 
upon him as much for spiritual life, as the 
body depends upon the soul for natural 
life. Christ is in every true believer* 
therefore the apostle says, " I live • yet 
not I, but Christ liveth in me." 

CHRISTIANS are not only near to God 
but they are one with him. What 
honor is this, to be one with the Father 
and the Son, even as the Father is one 
with the Son ! So Christ prays " that they 
may be one, as we are one." The inti- 
macy of this union is very strongly ex- 
pressed in the following language, " I in 
them, and thou in me." 

WE have an interest in God's all suf- 
ficiency. This is our riches; and 
469 



we are richer in this, than if we actually 
possessed the whole world. "God is 
ours and we are God's." He dwelleth in 
our bodies, as in temples. 

WHEN the Lord intends a bountiful 
answer to our prayers, he enlargeth 
the heart to seek it, and withal to receive 
it. God proportions his blessings to the 
earnestness with which we ask them. He 
therefore that prays but little, and with 
little feivor, has no reason to expect large 
or gracious returns. 

THE closer our union with God, the 
sweeter the communion. The more 
faith is exercised, the more it is strength- 
ened, and the more it is strengthened, the 
closer it unites. Draw near to God there- 
fore always — "with full assurances of 
faith." 

HOW great the privilege of conference 
with God ! For every act of holy 
contemplation is a conference. God will 
not let the Christian meditate alone : He 
will come and " talk with him by the way." 
As a means of mental illumination it is 



priceless. The utmost reach of human 
education is as nothing and vanity to it. 
Yet, above all this, it gives a man peace, 
inward purity, a noble supremacy over 
everything earthly. The destination of a 
soul may be known by the general tenor 
of its thoughts. As a man thinketh, so is 
he. Dives cannot be happy in Abraham's 
bosom, for his mind has nothing in it but 
thoughts of sumptuous feasts and fine 
linen. // is the having God in all our 
thoughts which gives us an evidence of our 
adoption. He first makes heaven ly minded 
those whom He intends to bring to heaven. 
Then let us soar above this little scene of 
things, and " woo lone quiet in her silent 
walks." Let us dwell upon the majesty 
and loving kindness of our God, and one 
day we shall hail with rapture the clearer 
vision of all that is great and glorious in 
His character. — Beza. 

ONE of the secrets of sanctification is 
to be much in prayer with God in 
our closets, and in reading and reflection. 



47i 



THERE is no happiness, either here, or 
in heaven, but what springs from 
communion with God. In this world, this 
communion is the first dawnings of heav- 
en. 

NEVER can we have the true enjoy- 
ment of life till "we are looking for 
and hastening to the coming of Christ ;" — 
looking for it earnestly as the consumma- 
tion of our wishes, and hastening to it, as 
a person just finishing a painful and tedi- 
ous journey, hastens his steps, as he draws 
near to his beloved home. 

SINCE dying is the way to life eternal, 
the Christian should endeavor to over- 
come the fear of it j and faith can do this. 
The true believer will keep his eye on the 
blessedness that lies beyond the grave, 
and will comfort himself with the thought 
that Christ has abolished death as to its 
penal consequences ; that to him, there- 
fore, " to die is gain," and that in his pass- 
age through the dark valley, He will be 
with him who has said, " I will never 
leave thee, nor forsake thee." 



CHRIST has abolished death as far as 
it is a curse, and thus the Christian 
does not die. There is nothing penal in 
his death. He regards it as a deliverer. 

DEATH, says Cowper, is always form" 
idable to me, except when I see him 
disarmed of his sting, by having it sheathed 
in the body of Jesus Christ. 

CHRISTIANS are not only God's ser- 
vants, but his friends and favorites. 

THOSE who have an interest in Christ 
ought to rejoice. They should do so 
always, in every condition, whether pros- 
perous or adverse. 

CHRISTIANS have enough to rejoice 
in, but in this chiefly, the salvation of 
God. There is enough in this to inspire 
joy in the midst of every loss and trial. 

WHILE the worldly man draws his 
chief happiness from the world, the 
Christian derives his mainly from Him 
who is the fountain of all felicity. His 
473 



language is, " all my springs are in Thee f 
— all that refreshes, revives and enlight- 
ens." 

HAPPY beyond all expression is that 
man whose heart is set upon God, 
and who is daily endeavoring to become 
more and more assimilated to him. All 
the gold of Ophir is not to be compared to 
one religious thought, ?ior cati there be 
any greater prefer ■; went than to be a saint ; 
for in a just and holy man, God shineth in 
glory, and all that behold him will say, 
" God is in him of a truth." 

SINCERE and heartfelt worship of God 
is the highest enjoyment that can be 
found on earth. It fills the soul with 
gladness, and fits it for the endless bliss of 
heaven. 

THE knowledge of Christ is the light of 
life — the dawn of approaching glory. 

HOW small a quantity of water can a 
person carry away in his hand from 
the ocean ! As little of the love of Christ 
is taken away by the Christian from his 
boundless love. 



THE next thing to the enjoyment of 
heaven, is the well founded, and joy- 
ful anticipation of it. 

THE reason why God is so good to the 
Christian, is because he is Christ's. 
For his sake, he opens the treasures of 
his goodness, and glorifies his Son in ex- 
alting us. Because we are brethren of 
Christ's, therefore we are the Sons of God, 
and as such are privileged with free access 
to his Throne of Grace. 

HE that was willing to give us Christ, 
assures us thereby that he is willing 
to give us all things. 

IN proportion as we are conscious of de- 
votedness to God will be our evidence 
that we are his, and we cannot ask more 
than he is ready to give. 

WHEN the Christian strives to serve 
God with his whole heart, God will 
give him grace to serve him better and 
better. If faithful in a little, he will en- 
able him to be faithful in more, to mount 
from grace to grace, and to increase daily 
in the knowledge and love of God. 



MAN is sunk in the mire and clay, — 
into the puddle of corruption, and 
there he sticks ; there is no escaping for 
him, by anything in the power of nature ; 
that which works his escape is the know- 
ledge of Christ. 

THE knowledge of Christ assimilates 
the soul to Christ in part here, and 
perfectly hereafter. 

INVINCIBLE ignorance does excuse in 
part, but all ignorance of those who 
have the use of reason, and enjoy the light 
of the gospel is wilful. The condition of 
such in the day of judgment will be more 
intolerable than of those of Sodom and 
Gomorrah. 

A MAN without real religion, (in a Chris- 
tian land,) is scarcely a man ; let him 
be what he will with intellectual accom- 
plishments, — how comely, how rich, how 
noble, how powerful soever ; if he wants 
the knowledge of Christ, he is like a beast. 
So the Holy Ghost terms him. (See 
Psalms 49th and 20th.) He indeed deserves 
no more the name of a Christian than 
476 



an ape deserves to be called a man. He 
may have some resemblance of a Christ- 
ian, as an ape has of a man, but without 
this — a practical knowledge of Christ — he 
wants the soul, the life of a Christian. 

A RADIANT and holy life is instinct 
with the very power of God. 
the good man. 

god properly dwells in a good man, 
and a good man has his dwelling in 
God. He is indeed the most glorious 
temple that the divinity has, next to 
the sacred humanity of jesus christ. 
The Divine Shekinah rests upon him, 
and the glory of god shines forth in 
him, as it did of old, in the jewish 
Tabernacle. And as God dwells in 
him, so he loves him and delights in 
him, and in him only. 

God regards nothing in us, indeed, but 
his own image, which consists in right- 
eousness and true holiness. This he can 
find nowhere upon earth but in a good 
person • and there he finds it, loves it and 
honors it. 

477 



WE need not ask, " Will the true, pure, 
loving, holy man be saved ?" for he 
is saved : he has heaven : it is in him 
now. He has a part of his inheritance 
now, and he is soon to possess the whole. 
— F. W. 

HE that has fellowship with God, is hap- 
py before he reaches heaven, — nay, it 
comes down to him, and is in him, before 
he enters it. When God tabernacles or 
dwells with a soul, and continues to grant 
communion, heaven is in that soul. 
Where the King is, there is the Court. 
" ^pHE Christian is as much above his 
1 fellow creatures through his new 
birth, as man is above the beast that per- 
isheth." 

CHRISTIANS are united to Christ, and 
hold daily communion with him. 
Their fellowship is with the Father and 
the Son. Unbelievers on the contrary 
are united to Satan, and are under his 
control. 

A CHRISTIAN IS THE HIGHEST STYLE OF 
man. — Young. 



GIFTS. 

A MAN may discourse of spiritual mys- 
teries copiously and clearly ; he may 
have gifts of knowledge and utterance ; 
he may preach with enlargement and af- 
fection ; and yet notwithstanding all this, 
be an utter stranger to the saving work of 
grace. Gifts prove nothing; these gifts 
may be but the gilding of a rotten post, 
the varnish of a corrupt heart. 

MEN get no profit by their labor, be- 
cause they contend for knowledge 
rather than for a holy life. The time 
shall come, when it shall more avail a per- 
son to have subdued one lust, than to have 
known all mysteries. — Taylor. 

TELL me not what parts a man has, 
but what grace. 
r "PHE production of a holy and heaven- 
1 ly disposition in a sinner's heart, is a 
new creation, even as if Satan, by Al- 
mighty power, should again be made a 
holy AngeL This work is begun in re- 
generation, carried on by progressive sanc- 
tification and completed in glory. — Scott. 
479 



THE rational mind of man, may dis- 
cover the literal sense of the propo- 
sitions in the Gospel, and may yield a 
naked assent to the truth of them ; but 
without the enlightening and irradiating 
influence of the Holy Spirit, there can be 
no transforming and saving knowledge 
and belief of them. 



M 



AN IS A MAN, ONLY AS HE REFLECTS 
THE IMAGE OF HIS MAKER. 

SAVIOR MINE. 
By William White. 

I REST my hopes on thee, 
My refuge ever be, 
Jesus divine ; 
My righteousness Thou art, 
All other hopes depart ; 
Shrined in my loving heart, 
Be always mine. 

I place my trust in Thee ; 
Thou wilt forever be 

Unfailing, true ; 
My days pass swiftly by, 
The evening shadows fly, 
My soul mounts up the sky, 

With Thee in view. 



Thy peace pervades my breast, 
And is a welcome guest, 

Precious to me ; 
No burden will I heed, 
My soul on Thee doth feed, 
And finds its every need 

Is met in Thee. 

Love of my soul Thou art, 
And dwelling in my heart, 

I pray Thee 'bide ; 
Unselfish may I live, 
Myself to others give, 
Increase of love receive, 
And Thee beside. 
Maple Lawn, White Plains, JV. Y. 

WORLDLY men count wealth and 
magnificence their glory • but holi- 
ness, being the moral image of God, is the 
true glory of our rational nature, and this 
will accompany us to heaven. 

CHRISTIANS are the temples of God, 
and his indwelling is evidenced by their 
holy and heavenly lives. Under his influ- 
ence they delight to worship and serve 
him, and they rejoice in believing, with a 
hope full of consolation, and in the assu- 
rance that they have been sealed with the 
481 



Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest 
of their heavenly inheritance, until the re- 
demption of the purchased possession. 
THE present privileges which the Chris- 
tian enjoys, and the sanctifying and 
comforting influences of the Spirit of God, 
which he daily experiences, are the sure 
earnests of heavenly felicity. If Christ is 
his, all things are his. 

IT is the greatest measure of grace that 
ushers in the greatest measure of joy. 
THE Christian has now the foretastes 
of the bliss, — the earnest of the in- 
heritance which is in reserve for him. 
A CHRISTIAN dwells like Uriel, in the 
Sun; meridian evidence puts doubt 
to flight, and ardent hope anticipates the 
skies. 

IT is not enough that a man follow the 
dictates of conscience. His mind (in 
a Christian country) must be enlightened 
as to the will of God ; and when he un- 
derstands what that will is, he must be 
disposed to do it, or his conscience will 
not be a safe guide. 

482 



ASSURANCE. 

THE best way for the Christian to as- 
certain his title to heavenly felicity, 
is to look after his meetness for it. His 
hope of the one, without the other, is pre- 
sumption, for it cannot be supposed that 
God will bring him into a condition which 
it is impossible for him to enjoy. But if 
he has prepared him for the blessedness 
of heaven, he may be assured that he has 
prepared the blessedness for him. It is a 
holy state, and if he now loves holiness, it 
is a state in which he will be admitted 
hereafter. If he is now rejoicing in Christ, 
and in the expectation of heaven, it is a 
comfortable evidence of his growing meet- 
ness for it. He that hath wrought him 
for the self-same thing is God, who hath 
also given to him the earnest of the Spirit. 

ASSURANCE is equally open to all be- 
lievers, of every rank and condition. 
The reason why all Christians do not have 
it, is on account of the worldliness of 
their lives, their inattention to the word of 
God, and the perverseness of their hearts. 
483 



Full assurance of faith is attainable by all, 
being nothing more than the legitimate 
effect of the growth of grace. The estab- 
lished Christian can say, like St. Paul, I 
know, and am persuaded, &c, &c. 

TO those to whom God has given con- 
firmation in grace, he has also given 
a certainty of condition, and therefore if 
that be revealed to them their persua- 
sions are certain and infallible. If it be 
not revealed to them, their condition is in 
itself certain, but their persuasion is not 
so, but is the highest kind of hope, " an 
anchor of the soul, sure and steadfast." 

SOME persons are heartily persuaded 
of their being reconciled to God; 
and of these, some are deceived, and 
some are not deceived, and there is no 
sign to distinguish them, ' but by that 
which is the thing signified ; a holy life 
tells what persons are confident, and who 
are presumptuous. But the certainty is 
reasonable in none but in habitually holy 
persons, not in new converts, or in lately 
lapsed people. 

484 



THE strong in faith, have this advant- 
age — among others — over the weak 
in faith. The latter have a heaven here- 
after, the former have a heaven here, too. 

WE who believe, says the apostle, " do 
enter into rest." Having an assured 
hope of salvation, such Christians are 
blessed. They "Walk in the light of 
God's countenance ; in his name they re- 
joice all the day ; and in his righteousness 
they are exalted." 

IF we have chosen Christ, we may be as- 
sured that he has chosen us. And if 
we love him and his ordinances, it is be- 
cause he first loved us. 

THE continued sunshine of God's pres- 
ence is mostly enjoyed by the old, 
experienced Christian. Late in life, and 
when nearing heaven, such an one is fre- 
quently favored with delightful manifesta- 
tions of God's love and favor, so much so 
indeed, that he longs for his admission into 
that happy place. 

485 



A SAINT walks with God, and God with 
him. What more familiarity than to 
walk hand in hand. Thus Enoch and 
Noah walked with God. The true Chris- 
tian sees God in everything visible, tastes 
his sweetness in every comfort, and hears 
his voice in all his providential dispensa- 
tions. If troubles befall him, he says 
with Eli " It is the Lord." He rests not 
in the surface of things, but penetrates 
through them to the first mover. 

THE HEART OF A CHRISTIAN IS THE 
TEMPLE of God : IT is the sanctu- 
ary WHICH FAR ABOVE THE COSTLIEST 
AND MOST MAGNIFICENT TEMPLE EVER 
BUILT, GOD DELIGHTS TO TAKE UP HIS 
ABODE IN. 

THE highest beauty of the soul is holi- 
ness, not our own, but Christ's, 
wrought in us by the power of the Holy 
Ghost, " when we all with open face, be- 
holding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, 
are changed into the same image, from 
glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the 
Lord." 



THE seeing of Christ, will make those 
who see him like unto him. Set a 
glass full in the sun, and you will see in 
it something like the glory of the sun ; — 
a bright dazzling splendor : such a glory 
appeared with Moses, when he had been 
with God ; such a glory (though not visi- 
ble) shines in every soul that is much 
with Christ, often viewing him \ and if 
the grossness and incapacity of the sub- 
ject did not hinder, it would seem more 
glorious, but hereafter this shall be re- 
moved, and then not only the soul, but 
the body shall be like unto Christ's glori- 
ous body. Even as the moon when in 
opposition to the sun, shews in it some 
resemblance to the sun's glory, even so 
will the habitual vision of Christ beautify, 
and make lustrous those that truly know 
him. So excellent is this knowledge that 
it will make those who have it " excel in 
glory." 

MOSES lived " as seeing Him, who is 
invisible." And it is for us also to 
see God, if to us the Kingdom of Heaven 

487 



has been opened ; if we have learned how 
sweet and pleasant it is to pray and praise ; 
if the realm of hope has dawned ; if the 
Sun of Righteousness has arisen upon us 
with healing in his beams, and we should 
manifest our gratitude for these great 
spiritual blessings by aiming after still 
greater assimilation to him by striving to 
become more and more meet for his pres- 
ence hereafter. 

IT is certainly true that we are sur- 
rounded by an unseen realm of spirit- 
ual reality, and that it is opened to us 
only as we grow into it. 

MINISTERING ANGELS. 

ROUND this earth, and round her children, 
Floats a spirit land unseen ; 
When our earthly course is ended, 

When the veil shall rise between, 
When we cross this mortal threshold, 

When we take our heavenward way, 
Angel brothers shall uphold us — 
Brothers of Eternity. 

God's own children, pure and holy ! 

You the messengers He sends ; 
'Tis an ever sweet remembrance, 

That you are our guardian friends, — 



That you watch our life-long journey, 

That, unseen, you oft are near. 
Holy thoughts and deeds to strengthen, 

Or to dry the mourner's tear. 

Who would not retreat in terror 

From the evil yet undone ; 
Who not turn with shame and mourning, 

From the evil course begun ? 
Who would e'er be found forgetful 

Of his calling and his vow, 
If the thought had only risen, 

" Angels are among us now ? " 

Rise, my soul, in heart to meet them, 

When this earth would chain thee fast ; 
Rise among these free-born spirits, 

When her coils are round thee cast. 
Be courageous, 'tis thy journey 

Out of darkness into light ; 
God and angels are around thee, 

Tremble not, but rise and fight. — Sperl, 

DIVINE truths are luxuries, sweeter 
than honey or the honeycomb to the 
renewed soul. Christ gives us sweet inti- 
mations of his love — a peace that passes 
all understanding — a joy unspeakable and 
full of glory. In the world to come, how- 
ever, we shall participate fully of our Mas- 
489 



ter's joy, and shall bathe ourselves in that 
boundless ocean of pleasure for ever and 
ever. 

CHRIST had not only life in himself, 
but came that we might have life, and 
have it more abundantly. He procured, 
and he communicates and sustains a life 
superior to that of Adam in paradise, and 
to that of the afigels in glory. 

BECAUSE our weakness is great, and 
the difficulties and dangers in our 
path heavenward are many, God prom- 
ises that his presence shall always be with 
us. When we grow weary he bids us lean 
upon him, and when we grow faint and 
can walk no longer, he bears us, his ever- 
lasting arm supports us. 

M Because I live, ye shall live also."— John 14-19. 

WHEN sins and fears prevailing rise, 
And fainting hope almost expires, 
Jesus, to thee I lift my eyes, 

To thee I breathe my soul's desires. 

Art thou not mine, my living Lord ? 

And can my hope, my comfort die — 
Fixed on thine everlasting word — 

That word which built the earth and sky ? 
490 



If my immortal Savior lives, 

Then my immortal life is sure : 
His word a firm foundation gives ; 

Here let me build, and rest secure. 

Here let my faith unshaken dwell ; 

Immovable the promise stands ; 
Not all the powers of earth or hell, 

Can e'er dissolve the sacred bands. 

Here, O my soul ; thy trust repose, 

If Jesus is forever mine ; 
Not death itself — that last of foes, 

Shall break a union so divine. 

Let me be with thee where thou art, 

Where none can die, where none remove ; 

There neither death nor life will part 
Me from thy presence and thy love. 

GOD is near and attentive to every one 
of his redeemed children, as if there 
was only that one in his boundless universe. 
He before whom the angels veil their faces 
condescends to hold communion with 
those whom men despise. He sees not as 
man seeth, rides on a cloud disdainful by 
an Emperor or a King to manifest himself 
to a humble soul in a mud-wall cottage. 
By him all their wants are supplied, and 
49 1 



nothing they feel or fear is able to separate 
them from his love. 

" Yet looking down, I visit oft 
The humble hallowed cell ; 
And with the penitent who mourn, 
Tis my delight to dwell." 

AGED Christians, often have, as they 
approach the close of life, remarkably 
clear and exalted views of their Savior — 
views that entirely disarm death of its 
sting and the grave of its terrors. Often 
like St. Paul they prefer dying to living. 

I^HE Lord upon the mercy-seat, or 
throne of Grace, appears as a God in 
covenant. Now what are the contents of 
this covenant, but sure mercies — that is, 
mercies insured to believers through 
Christ — acts of grace and favor made sure 
by an everlasting covenant. The Lord 
hereby shows himself obliged to be ever- 
lastingly willing to help in time of need. 
He is as surely willing, as he is sure to be 
true and faithful to his covenant. 

IN the covenant of grace, Christ is the 
covenantee, and the promises of it are 

492 



made, not immediately with us, but with 
Him, as our head, representative and 
surety. He performed the awful condi- 
tion, on which they were all founded, and 
has ratified them by his own blood. He 
is also the pledge of their existence and 
accomplishment. They might seem too 
great to be believed, were it not for him- 
self, who is greater than any thing that 
God has promised. But he has been 
given ; and " he that spared not his own 
Son, but delivered him up for us all, how 
shall he not with him also freely give us 
all things ? " If the promises are in him, 
the way to possess and enjoy them all, is 
to receive Mm : " He that hath the Son, 
hath life." See page 346. 

LET the Christian get assurance of his 
interest in the covenant, that Christ 
has loved him and washed him from his 
sins in his blood ; that he had given him 
his Spirit and that he is fully reconciled 
to him. If he is sure of this blessed con- 
dition, he may be sure that God's ear will 
always be open to his prayers. 

493 



ALL THINGS ARE YOURS. 

ALL things are yours ! Oh ! sweet message 
of mercy divine ! 
Christian brothers, rejoice in your portion and 
mine ! 

Ours the high prize, 
Which poor sinners despise, 
And for a vain world resign. 

Raise your affections and heart to your home 

in the sky, 
Then let the earth and its vanities wither and 
die ; 

Your joys shall last, 
When theirs are long past — 
Your treasure is laid up on high. 

All things are yours, my beloved ! our Lord 

from above 
Watches his people with tender compassion 
and love. 

Hear his dear voice : 
" My brethren, rejoice ! 
Nothing your safety shall move !" 

All of things present that earth and her ful- 
ness can yield, 
All of things future from knowledge and fancy 
concealed, 

Life's varied tale, 
Death's dark, dreaded vale, 
All as your portion revealed ! 

494 



Heaven and earth, and the sea, and the sys- 
tems of light, 
Spirits unnumbered, angelic hosts holy and 
bright, 

All are for thee, 
Brother ! be joyful with me, 
Let us in praises unite ! 

Does thy heart sink in the conflict with fear 

and despair ? 
Are tears overflowing from fountains of sorrow 
and care ? 

On yonder shore r 
See, they are weeping no more — 
Old things have passed away there ! 

Praise to the Savior, whose death our salva- 
tion secures ! 
Praise to the Father,, whose mercy for ever en- 
dures ! 

New songs of praise 
Evermore let us raise. 
Amen ! yes, all things are yours ! — Schubart. 

CHRIST sanctifies our prayers, and sep- 
arates what is offensive from them. 
The Levitical Priests were his types in this. 
They bore the iniquity of the holy things. 
Offered through Christ, our prayers are 
regarded by God as spotless — entirely 
free from guilt. 

495 



HOWEVER poor and unworthy, the 
sincere Christian is privileged to com- 
mune and walk with God • for he is re- 
garded by him as one with Christ. 

CHRIST presents us and our petitions 
to God. The consequence is, that 
we are as sure to be heard, as Christ him- 
self, and the Father always hears him. 
There is no surer confidence in the world, 
than Christ's prayer for us. 

PRAYER is the Lord's delight. No 
sacrifice is more acceptable. One 
sincere prayer pleases him better than 
hundreds of rams or thousands of rivers 
of oil. "Offer unto God thanksgiving, 
and pray thy vows to the Most High, and 
call upon me in the day of trouble, and I 
will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify 
me." 

THOSE who are savingly acquainted 
with Christ would rather lose any 
thing, than part with him. 

HEN we address ourselves to the 
Lord on his Throne of Grace, it is 

496 



w 



but to ask and to have. He will give 
royally — munificently. He is the God of 
Love, the Father of mercies, whose being 
is goodness, whose essence is mercy, and 
whose glory it is to show mercy and love 
to all who approach him in the name of 
Christ, their all-prevailing Mediator and 
Advocate. Shall not our desires then be 
excited and drawn out when the riches of 
his grace and mercy are so readily obtain- 
able, and when God declares he will give 
like a King to those who make earnest 
and persistent application to him. Oh ! 
why does covetousness run so low and feed 
on mud, when it might be entertained at a 
throne, and be satisfied with royal riches. 

FAITH is the telegraphic wire which 
links earth and heaven, — on which 
God's messages of love fly so fast, that 
before we call he answers, and while we 
are yet speaking he hears. 

A PERSON may as well say, that now 
there is no Mercy Seat, no Throne of 
Grace, no Mediator and Advocate ■ that 
the lamb is not in the midst of the throne, 
497 



as that the Lord is unwilling to hear and 
help. 

HOLINESS IS THE BEAUTY AND DIGNI- 
TY OF THE SOUL. It IS THE RADI- 
ANCE OF THE DIVINE IMAGE. 

THE Christian must be regular in 
waiting upon God daily in secret. 
This is the only way of maintaining his 
spiritual life in vigor, and of renewing his 
strength. 

ALL may be great in the sight of the 
Lord, but he is the greatest, whatever 
be his circumstances in life, who best obeys 
him. 

THINK'ST thou the man, whose mansions 
hold 
The worldling's pomp, the miser's gold, 
Has got a richer prize 
Than he, who in his cot at rest, 
Finds heavenly peace, a willing guest, 
And bears the earnest in his breast, 
Of treasure in the skies. 

THERE is not a grace in a Christian, 
but is more glorious than the sun, 
with all its regiments of stars, and is more 
498 



like to God than that great fountain of 
light, with all its amazing splendor. 

THOSE who serve God from their 
childhood are often made distin- 
guished benefactors to mankind. 

HAPPY man, says Newton, that fears 
the Lord, and delights in his word 
and services. He shall be like a tree 
planted by the rivers of water, whose 
leaf is always green and fruit abundant. 
The wisdom of God shall direct his plans 
and inspire his counsels, and the power of 
God shall guard him on every side, and 
prepare his way through every difficulty. 
The conduct of such a one, though in an 
obscure and retired sphere of life, is of 
more real excellence and importance than 
the most splendid actions of kings and 
conquerors that fill the annals of history. 

HE who has " won Christ " is truly blest, 
for by this acquisition he becomes 
not only happy now, but will be unuttera- 
bly happy through all eternity. He is raised 
above the condition of Adam in Paradise, 
499 



and will also be raised above the estate of 
angels in heaven. And at the day of 
Judgment, his privilege will be to be judged 
by what Christ is, and by what Christ has. 
To such an one there will be " no con- 
demnation." See Romans 8th-ist. 

I HAVE the highest possible thoughts, 
(says Melville,) in regard to the future 
dignity of man. I believe not that he will 
be second to any but God. I would not 
change his place, I would not barter his 
crown for that of the noblest, the first 
among the angels of heaven. For no na- 
ture has been brought into so intimate a 
relation to the divine as the human. God 
has become man, and man therefore we be- 
lieve will be placed nearest to God. 

IN Christ's righteousness sincere Christ- 
ians are not only absolved but exalted. 
They have more to appear in than Adam 
in paradise. His righteousness was finite, 
theirs is infinite ; his was the righteousness 
of a creature, theirs the righteousness of 
God. 



500 



KNOWING ourselves justified, (says 
Melville,) is the highest thing attain- 
able upon earth. 

T BLESS the Crucified, 
A I rest on love divine, 
And, with unfaltering lip and heart, 
I call this Savior mine. 

His cup dispels each doubt ; 

I bury in the tomb 
Each thought of unbelief and fear, 

Each lingering shade of gloom. 

I prai?e my Savior's name, 

I trust his truth and might ; 
He calls me his, I call him mine, 

My Lord, my joy, my light. 

'Tis he x?ho saveth me, 

And freely pardon gives ; 
I love because he loveth me, 

I live because he lives. 

My life with him is hid, 

My death has passed away ; 
My clouds have melted into light, 

My midnight into day. 

FAITH. 

FAITH is the substance of things 
hoped for or feared. It gives them a 
substance by bringing God's promises and 
501 



threatenings home to our hearts, and 
keeping them before our minds, and 
making us feel their truth. This faith will 
produce strong love and confidence in 
God ; such as will induce us to draw nigh 
to him at all times as children, and to 
yield implicit submission to him under all 
his dispensations in regard to us. He 
who has it will be cheerful in the midst of 
gloom ; will smile when all around is 
frowning, and will be content under the 
severest pressure of tribulation — being 
confident that God does all things well, 
and that all things will work together for 
his good. Abraham, the father of the 
faithful, signally evidenced this grace, in 
his willingness to offer up even his only 
Son at the command of God. 

AH ! GRIEVE NOT SO. 
fc 'Godliness with contentment is great gain."— 1 Tim 6:6. 

AH ! grieve not so, nor so lament, 
My soul ! nor troubled sigh, 
Because some joys to others sent, 

Thy Father may deny ; 
Take all as love that seems severe — 
There is no want if God is near. 
502 



There is no right thou canst demand, 
No title thou canst claim ; 

For all are strangers in the land 
Who bear the human name : 

Earth and its treasures are the Lord's, 

And He the lot of each accords. 

How thankless art thou, child of man ! 

For favors that abound ; 
Thy God has given thee eyes to scan 

The glory all around ; 
Yet seldom for this priceless sight, 
Hast thou been heard to praise aright. 

Number thy limbs, thy members tell, 
And ask thy thankless, soul, 

If to another thou wouldst sell 
The smallest of the whole, 

There is not one from which thy heart 

Would willingly submit to part. 

Now, go and search the depths of mind, 
Explore its wondrous power, 

New proofs of benefits to find, 
That meet thee every hour ; 

More than the sand upon the shore, 

And ever rising more and more. 

He knows who lives on Zion's hill, 
What we in truth require ; 

Knows too how many blessings still 
This flesh and blood desire ; 

503 



And could he safely all bestow, 

He would not let thee sorrowing go. 

Thou wert not born that earth should be 

A portion fondly sought ; 
Look up to heaven, and smiling see 

Thy shining, golden lot ! 
Honors and joys which thou shalt share, 
Unending and unenvied there ! 

Then journey on to life and bliss, 
God will protect to heaven ; 

And every good that meets thee is 
A bless'ng wisely given. 

If losses come, so let it be — 

The God of heaven remains with thee. 
Paul Gerhard. 

THE covenant which God has made 
with his people is ordered in all 
things. The care he invited us to roll 
upon him is all our care ; the need he 
promises to supply is all our need. Our 
minutest matters will have as much of his 
care and attention as those that mostly 
concern us. " As one whom his mother 
comfort eth, so I will comfort you." 



504 



HAPPY, Savior, should I be, 
If I could but trust in thee ; 
Trust Thy wisdom me to guide ; 
Trust Thy goodness to provide ; 
Trust Thy saving love and power ; 
Trust Thee every day and hour ; 

Trust Thee as the only light 
In the darkest hour of night ; 
Trust in sickness, trust in health ; 
Trust in poverty and wealth ; 
Trust in joy and trust in grief ; 
Trust Tby promise for relief ; 

Trust Thy blood to cleanse my soul ; 
Trust Thy grace to make me whole ; 
Trust Thee, living, dying, too ; 
Trust Thee all my journey through ; 
Trust Thee till my feet shall be 
Planted on the crystal sea. 

IN reality, we are now citizens of heaven. 
Of that holy place Christ hath made us 
free. We are born into this world, and 
have worldly duties to discharge, but from 
our baptism to our lives' end, we are mem- 
bers altogether of another corporation. 
" We have come unto Mount Zion," &c, 
&c. " Angels and living saints and dead, 
but one communion make." 



IT is not proper for a true Christian to 
be fearful of his Savior's coming. If 
we did not shamefully come short of that 
high estate to which Christ proposed to 
raise us, we should long for his coming, 
instead of dreading it. What does St. 
John say, when Jesus tells him, he will 
come quickly. " Amen, even so come 
Lord Jesus." And what says St. Paul ? 
that " for him to die, is gain," " that he 
has a desire to depart, and to be with 
Christ which is far better." Now if we 
had the spirit of these apostles, and I 
know no reason for our not having it, — 
except that we pray less, and strive less 
against temptation and have less faith and 
less love ; — if we had the true Christian 
spirit, I say, the spirit that burnt so 
brightly and vigorously in those first 
Christians, we too would feel " that to 
die is gain ; " we too would say as they 
did " Lord Jesus come quickly." 

MY faith shall triumph o'er the grave, 
And trample on the tomb ; 
I know that my Redeemer lives, 
And on the clouds shall come. 
506 



I know that he shall soon appear, 
In power and glory meet ; 
And death the last of all his foes, 
Lie vanquished at his feet. 

Then, though the grave my flesh devour 
And hold me for its prey ; 
I know my sleeping dust shall rise 
On the last judgment day. 

I in my flesh shall see my God, 
And in yon happy land 
Shall then, with all his saints ascend 
To dwell at his right hand. 

Then will he wipe all tears away, 
And check the rising groan ; 
And pains and sighs, and griefs and fears 
Shall ever be unknown. 

OH ! how joyful the thought, that the 
atonement is a divine reality and that 
the true Christian has now, at all times 
free access to God by faith. The sepa- 
rating veil of his displeasure is withdrawn, 
and heaven and earth are to real Christ- 
ians one, portions of the same life ; heav- 
en is open to the anticipations of faith, 
and earth itself a heaven begun below. 
God is with them and in them contin- 



ually, and hears and answers all their 
prayers. 

Children of grace have found 

Heaven begun below ; 
Celestial fruits, on earthly ground, 

From faith and hope do grow. 

BEHOLD, says Hannah More, the 
heart-consoling, exhilarating, trium- 
phant certainties of Christianity. I know- 
that my Redeemer liveth, &c, &c. In 
my flesh I shall see God, whom mine 
eyes shall behold and not another. " I 
am the resurrection and the life, whosoev- 
er believeth in me shall never die." Here 
is the true balm of Gilead — here is the 
cordial, the healing cordial for every hu- 
man woe. 



M 



REUNION. 
"I shall go to him."— 2 Sam. 12 : 23. 

EET again ! yes, we shall meet again, 
Though now we part in pain ! 
His people all 
Together Christ shall call, 

Hallelujah ! 

Soon the days of absence shall be o'er, 
And thou shalt weep no more ; 
508 



Our meeting day- 
Shall wipe all tears away. 

Hallelujah ! 

Now I go with gladness to our home, 
With gladness thou shalt come ; 

There I will wait 

To meet thee at heaven's gate. 

Hallelujah ! 

Dearest ! what delight again to share 
Our sweet communion there ! 

To walk among 

The holy ransomed throng. 

Hallelujah ! 

Here, in many a grief, our hearts were one, 
But there in joys alone ; 
Joy fading never, 
Increasing, deepening, ever. 

Hallelujah ! 
Not to mortal sight'can it be given 
To know the bliss of heaven ; 
But thou shalt be 
Soon there, and sing witlTme, 

Hallelujah ! 
Meet again ! yes, we shall meet again, 
Though now we part in pain ! 
Together all 
His people Christ shall call. 

Hallelujah ! 
—M. A. Zille, 

509 



TO rise above worldly cares and trou- 
bles, the Christian should elevate his 
mind to things above, and endeavor to 
realize and to appreciate properly his great 
spiritual privileges. The grace of Christ, 
free and abounding ; the love of Christ, 
tender, vast and eternal; the spirit of 
Christ, quickening, purifying and eleva- 
ting; the blood of Christ, cleansing the 
soul and making it white as snow ; the 
righteousness of Christ, covering the soul, 
and like a beauteous robe adorning it ; 
the kingdom of Christ, glorious and holy 
and everlasting ; the presence of Christ 
with its fulness of unfading joy — the 
thought of these precious truths, and of 
his interest in them, should exclude at 
once, and speedily, all trouble from the 
Christian's heart, and fill it with joy and 
gladness at all times. 

" I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a 
people."— Rom. 8 : 10. 

MY God, the cov'nant of thy love 
Abides forever sure ; 
And, in its matchless grace, I feel 
My happiness secure. 
5io 



H 



Since thou, the everlasting God, 

My Father art become ; 
Jesus, my Guardian and my Friend, 

And heaven my final home ; 

I welcome all thy sov'reign will, 

For all that will is love ; 
And when I know not what thou dost, 

I wait the light above. 

Thy cov'nant in the darkest gloom 

Shall heavenly rays impart ; 
And when my eyelids close in death, 

Sustain my fainting heart. 

OLY LIVING IS A MIGHTY MAGNET TO 
DRAW MEN TO GOD. 



W 



" He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.' 
Mai. 3:6. 

HY should I murmur or repine, 

O Lamb of God, who bled for me ? 

What are my griefs compared with thine- 

Thy tears, thy groans, thine agony ! 

If thou the furnace dost employ, 

Thou sittest as refiner near, 
To purge away the base alloy, 

Till thine own image bright appear. 

Though oft thy way is in the sea, 
Thy footsteps in the winged storm ; 

Though crested billows threaten me — 
Love slumbers in their frowning form ! 

5ii 



Submissive would I kiss the rod ; 

Needful each stroke I humbly own ; 
Or let me trust thee, O my God ! 

If now the " need be " is unknown. 

Wave upon wave which rolled before 
Tempestuous o'er this ruffled breast, 

There lulled to sleep, shall break no more 
The rapture of eternal rest. 

WE should walk in the enjoyment of 
the Gospel of Christ. For it is not 
only of a sanctifying, but of a consolatory 
nature : it brings us glad tidings of great 
joy ; it is all written for our learning that 
we through patience and comfort of the 
scriptures might have hope. We should 
be happy, as well as holy. The first 
Christians walked in the comforts of the 
Holy Ghost. The Gospel did not shut 
them in a dungeon of doubts and fears: 
they knew the truth, and the truth made 
them free indeed, and they walked in the 
glorious liberty of the sons of God. 

IN proportion Christians, — says Bishop 
Hobart — to the brightness of your 
graces, the triumphs of your faith, and the 
sincerity of your obedience, will be your 



rejoicing in that God whose secret is with 
the righteous. As your path shines more 
and more unto perfect day, the light of 
God's countenance will shine brighter 
upon you ; until in the courts of the Ce- 
lestial Zion, it encircles you with un- 
speakable glory. In that kingdom, where 
one star dirTereth from another star in 
glory, your rewards will be in proportion 
to your attainments in virtue, to the 
purity and strength of your Christian 
graces. Let this consideration animate 
you in your course. While the merits of 
your Savior render your obedience ac- 
ceptable to God, and his grace qualifies 
you for the highest attainments, you have 
the animating promise that every advance 
which you make in holiness, shall advance 
your glory and bliss hereafter. Here then 
direct all the energies of your soul. Aspire 
after the highest attainments. The brighter 
your virtues, the brighter will be the crown, 
which will be awarded your victory. 



GRACE alone can animate and cheer. 
Without it there is no true life ; nor 
is there any happiness, apart from God. 

HEAVENLY aid will never be wanting 
to those who are not wanting to 
themselves. The grace of Christ will al- 
ways be communicated according to their 
need of it, if earnestly sought for. It is, 
if not nipped in the bud, an immortal 
seed that will sprout up, and blow into 
glory j a ray of light, that will wax bright- 
er and brighter unto the perfect day. 

GOD hath imposed a law of perfection 
but he exacts it, according to the 
possibilities of imperfect creatures. — Jery. 
Taylor. 

THOSE who have lived most in com- 
munion with God, have lived most in 
the exercise of a strong and lively faith, 
and in a spirit of filial love and confidence. 

THE things of time are but straws in 
comparison with the concerns of eter- 
nity. 

514 



THE way to have more light and grace, 
is to make a diligent improvement of 
that already granted. 

THOSE who serve God from child- 
hood are often made distinguished 
benefactors of mankind. 

FATHER, I will that they also whom 
thou have given me, be with me 
where I am, that they may behold my 
glory." St. John, 17 : 24. 

In the 20th verse, Christ tells us that he 
prays not for his disciples only, but for all 
who should believe on him. His prayer 
then is for us, and we are as much inter- 
ested in it, as were the apostles. 

In this way, it is our right and privilege 
to extract sweetness and comfort from all 
the sayings of Christ, and from all his 
promises ; to connect ourselves with them 
to believe ourselves to have been in his 
mind when he uttered them, — each indi- 
vidually — as though no other being in 
heaven and earth were occupying his 
thoughts. 

5i5 



GOD of my life ! thy boundless grace, 
Chose, pardoned and adopted me ; 
My rest, my home, my dwelling place ; 
Father ! I'll live, I'll live to thee. 

Jesus, my hope, my rock, my shield ! 

Whose precious blood was shed for me, 
Into thy hands my soul I yield ; 

Savior, sustain and strengthen me. 

Spirit of glory, and of God ! 

Long hast thou deigned my guide to be ; 
Now be thy comfort sweet bestowed ; 

My God ! Oh dwell, Oh dwell with me. 

I long to join that countless host 
Who praise thy name unceasingly ; 

Blest Father, Son and Holy Ghost ! 
One God ! now and eternally. 

GOD is willing, says the apostle, " to do 
all that we ask f and " above all 
that we ask f and " abundantly above all 
that we ask j" and " exceeding abundantly 
above all that we ask," and more still, " ex- 
ceeding abundantly above all that we can 
ask or think." 

BELIEVE it, Christian. Nothing hon- 
ors God more than a simple belief in 
his promises, and a simple trust in his 
516 



love. There is nothing he has more la- 
bored in his word to press on the mind of 
the Christian than this, in order to encour- 
age, animate, cheer and strengthen him. 
He makes known his boundless love and 
mercy in order to excite a spirit of love, 
confidence, and trust in the mind of the 
believer, that he may be induced to serve 
him uniformly and persistently without 
fear or dread, and with that " perfect love 
that casteth out fear." 

ETERNAL Sun of righteousness ! 
Display thy beams divine, 
And cause the brightness of thy face 
Upon my soul to shine. 

Light in thy light, oh let me see, 

Thy grace and mercy prove ; 
Revived, and cheered, and blessed by thee, 

The God of pardoning love. 

Lift up thy countenance serene, 

And let thy happy child 
Behold without a cloud between 

The Father reconciled. 

On me thy promised peace bestow, 

The peace by Jesus given ; — 
The joys of holiness below, 

And then the joys of heaven. 

517 



THE true Christian is looked upon by 
God in a new light, not as one of the 
sinful progeny of Adam, but as a member 
of the family of Jesus Christ — one of his 
spiritual seed, upon whom rests all the 
benefits of his sufferings, and of the obed- 
ience of the head of the family. 

IF thou wouldst be informed what God 
has written concerning thee in heaven, 
look into thine own bosom, and see what 
graces he hath there wrought in thee. 

THE Kingdom of Heaven is within 
the Christian and consists "of 
righteousness and peace and joy in 
the Holy Ghost." 

" A DESIRE to depart." How few 
jfl Christians have arrived to such a 
pitch of spirituality ! To have such a de- 
sire, is the effect of a strong faith, and of 
love stronger than death. 



W 



HEN on the brink of death 
My trembling soul shall stand ; 
Waiting to pass that awful flood 
Great God ! at thy command. 
518 



Thou source of joy supreme ! 

Whose arm alone can save — 
Dispel the darkness that surrounds 

The entrance of the grave. 

Lay thy supporting hand 

Beneath my sinking head ; 
And with the rays of love divine 

Illume my dying bed. 

Leaning on Jesus' breast 

May I resign my breath ; 
And in his kind embraces, lose 

The bitterness of death. 

IN order to grow in grace, we must be 
much alone. It is not in society — 
even Christian society — that the soul 
grows most vigorously. In one single 
quiet hour of prayer, it will often make 
more progress than in days of company 
with others. It is in the desert that the 
dew falls freshest and the air is purest. — 
H. Bonar. 

THOSE Christians, says Melville, who 
meditate much on heaven, and spend 
much time in communion with God, are 
often privileged wkh such foretastes of 
what God has prepared for his people, as 
519 



serve, like the clusters of Eschol to teach 
them practically the richness of Canaan. 
With them it is not altogether a matter of 
report, that the inheritance of the saints 
is transcendently glorious : it is also true 
in part " that as they have heard, so have 
they seen in the city of their God." They 
have waited upon the Lord, until, accord- 
ing to the promise of Isaiah, they have 
been enabled " to mount up with wings as 
eagles," they have gazed for a moment on 
the streets of gold, and have heard the 
harpings of the innumerable multitudes. 

The Christian who has lived in much in- 
timate communion with God, and has had 
frequent foretastes of these joys of heaven, 
not unfrequently has " a desire to depart, 
and to be with Christ." The language of 
the following hymn well expresses the 
sentiments of such a one. 

O happy scenes above the sky, 

Where Christ's bright beams impart, 

Unclouded beauty to the eye, 
And rapture to the heart. 

Her portion in those realms of bliss 
My spirit longs to know ; 
520 



My wishes terminate in this, 
Nor can they rest below. 

Lord ! shall the breathings of my heart 

Aspire in vain to thee ? 
Confirm my hope that where Thou art 

I shall forever be . 

Then shall my cheerful spirit sing 
These darksome hours away, 

And rise on Faith's expanded wing 
To everlasting day. 

THE Christian should accustom himself 
to divine spiritual reflections from 
all the material objects around him. A 
taste for natural scenery is good and 
desirable in itself. But he should enjoy 
it, not as a creature merely, but as a Christ- 
ian, and should also endeavor to derive 
improvement from it. That which is 
seen and temporal, should raise his 
thoughts and affections to that which is 
unseen and eternal 

Earth, with her ten thousand flowers, 
Air, with all its beams and showers, 
Ocean's infinite expanse, 
Heaven's resplendent countenance ; 
All around, and all above 
Hath this record — God is love. 
521 



EARTH has nothing sweet or fair, 
Lovely forms or beauties rare, 
But before my eyes they bring 
Christ, of beauty Source and Spring. 

When the morning paints the skies, 
When the golden sunbeams rise, 
Then my Savior's form I find 
Brightly imaged on my mind. 

When the day-beams pierce the night, 
Oft I think on Jesus' light, 
Think how bright that light will be, 
Shining through eternity. 

Come, dear Savior ! and dispel 
This dark cloud in which I dwell, 
And to me the power impart 
To behold thee as thou art. 

TO compose our minds under sorrows 
and troubles, we should elevate them 
above the things of the world, and think 
of our great spiritual blessings. The 
grace of Christ free and abounding ; the 
love of Christ, tender, vast and eternal ; 
the spirit of Christ, quickening, purying 
and elevating; the blood of Christ, cleans- 
ing the soul, and making it as white as 
snow ; the righteousness of Christ, covering 
the soul, and like a beauteous garment 
522 



adorning it, the kingdom of Christ glori- 
ous, and holy and everlasting ; the presence 
of Christ, with its fulness of unfading joy : 
— to have these before us, and to say of 
these, "I through grace have chosen 
them, and they are mine f here is the 
best and most effectual cure we can have 
for a troubled heart, something that can 
rid the weary soul of all its load. 

THOUGH now God's ways are dark, 
Concealed from mortal sight ; 
His counsels are divinely wise, 
And all his judgments right. 

In God my trust shall stand 

While waves of sorrow roll ; 
In life or death, his name shall be 

The refuge of my soul. 

Cease, cease, my tears to flow, 
Cease, cease, my heart to mourn ; 

Betide what may to me, I'll say, 
His holy will be done ! 

I^HE Lord is merciful oftentimes in de- 
nying outward blessings to his child- 
ren. He denies them plenty of temporals, 
lest it should bring leaness into their 
souls. He denies them health, that their 
523 



souls may prosper. He denies comfort in 
dearest relations, by making them trouble- 
some and disagreeable, lest they should 
steal away the heart from himself. These 
denials are great mercies, and therefore 
sweet and profitable returns of prayer. 

WHEN God means to make a man 
useful, he generally sends him first 
through the fire ; and often chastens 
those most whom he loves best. 

" '"jPHE sure mercies of David " are pe- 
1 culiarly appropriated ; but the good 
things of Providence are indiscriminately 
bestowed. God may, and does elevate in 
life those who have no inheritance among 
them that are sanctified. Be not afraid, 
therefore, when one is made rich, and the 
glory of his house is increased. Pray for 
the favor which God bears to his people, 
for the heritage of those who fear his 
name. 

NO sinner is past the reach of divine 
mercy. Even beneath a Manasseth 
are the everlasting arms. 
524 



" "QEING justified by faith, we have 

D peace with God." 

All those who are thus justified, says 
Bishop Mcllvaine, are accounted right- 
eous through the merits of Christ. They 
have been made partakers of the right- 
eousness of God, which is by faith of 
Jesus Christ, " unto all, and upon all them 
that believe;" yes, " unto all and upon 
all ;" therefore upon the weakest, feeblest, 
youngest believer, who ever with the hand 
of an infant faith touched the hem of the 
Savior's garment, and with his kind and 
merciful permission, drew that garment as 
a covering over his own pollution, and 
weakness and sin. 

THE believer's transgressions of the 
divine law are all forgiven, being 
covered with the atonement. Christ bore 
his iniquities, and therefore they are not 
imputed to the true believer, as to any of 
their penal consequences ; — nay righteous- 
ness without works is imputed ; and as a 
righteous person, the reward is adjudged 
to him : hence all his present comforts, 
and all his hopes of future felicity. — Scott. 
525 



WHAT is it for the man Christ to sit 
on the right hand of the Father ? It 
comprises the exaltation of the human na- 
ture to a state of the completest happiness 
and glory, and also, of exaltation and 
glory over all other creatures. The hu- 
man nature will sit above all created things, 
yea, above angels, endued with majesty 
and the greatest glory adapted to it, and 
of which it is capable. 

WE are made perfect, as sin is subdued 
in us, as holiness prevails, as we 
love the law of God and find his service 
our delight. It is thus we are trans- 
formed by the renewing of the mind, and 
" are changed from glory to glory, as by 
the Spirit of the Lord." 

IT is not inconsistent with the holiness 
of God, to show his favor to such de- 
filed creatures as we are, or to admit us 
to daily communion with himself; for we 
are not regarded by him as what we are 
in ourselves, but as one with Christ to 
whom we have fled for refuge, and by 
whom we live a life of true genuine faith. 
526 



Though our obedience is imperfect, his 
obedience is spotless and complete, and 
we are accepted in him. 

EVERY Christian should illustrate 
the Christian religion in his life. 

THE true Christian is not only " all 
glorious within," but "his clothing 
also, is of wrought gold." 

GOD takes pleasure in the happiness 
and prosperity of his servants, and 
they never appear to such advantage as 
when they " walk in the light of his coun- 
tenance, rejoice in his name all the day 
and in his righteousness are exalted." It 
is then that they do honor to their re- 
ligion and commend it to others. And 
the joy of the Lord is not only their orna- 
ment, but their strength. It enlivens 
them in duty, and emboldens them in 
their profession. It raises them above 
the fear of man, weans them from the 
world, bears them up under the trials of 
life, and raises them above the fear of 
death. And it is the will of God that 
they should not only be joyful occasion- 
527 



ally, but uniformly, and abound in the 
comforts of the Holy Ghost — possessing 
not only real, but strong consolation. 

THERE is a devotion that resembles 
the blaze of straw j but that which is 
spiritual, is like the fire on the Jewish al- 
tar, kindled from above and that never 
went out. It is a stream fed by a living 
fountain. The water, says Christ, that I 
shall give him, shall be in him a well of 
water, springing up unto everlasting life. 

ALL Christians should gather up their 
portion of manna daily before the 
rising sun has time to melt it ; and re- 
fresh themselves with the living waters 
from the smitten rock, that so they may 
renew their strength and go on their way 
rejoicing. 

TRUE prayer is an importunate thing, 
which will not be denied, and than 
which, if we except the voice of thanks- 
giving and praise, I do not believe there 
is any sound in heaven more agreeable to 
God, however neglected and slighted by 
the proud and worldly of the earth. Alas ! 
528 



God is angry, not at the number, but at 
the fewness ; not at the earnestness, but 
the coldness of our prayers. 

WE may speak to God at any time, 
and this with boldness and confi- 
dence, notwithstanding our unworthiness. 
The Lord delights in such communion, 
and is much displeased when we estrange 
ourselves. When our worldly pleasures 
engross all our time, he will deprive us of 
them, that he may have more of our com- 
pany. 

WHEN the Spirit of God " helpeth 
our infirmities," and our intense, 
earnest, and vast desires can scarcely find 
words strong and emphatic enough to ut- 
ter them, but we still mean more than we 
can express ; then prayer is indeed wrest- 
ling with God; and however we be 
tried, or discouraged, we shall certainly 
prevail. He will approve our importuni- 
ty, and largely communicate his blessings, 
and prevailing with him in prayer, we 
shall obtain the desires of our heart. 



529 



PRAYER, THE LIFE OF THE SOUL. 

IT is a law, as fixed and unvarying as 
that which regulates the revolution of 
the seasons, that he will be found the 
most established and steadfast believer 
who most abounds in prayer. All who 
are taught by the Spirit know that -what 
the air of heaven is to the body — what 
sunshine is to the eye — what spring is to 
flowers, and herbs, and trees — prayer is to 
the believing soul. Without it, that soul 
would sicken and die. As a means of in- 
creasing faith, of drawing forth affection, 
of purifying the heart, apart From all that 
is obtained in answer to prayer, this privi- 
lege ranks among the foremost in the es- 
timate of a child of God. 

Every new visit to the throne becomes 
a means of augmenting the believer's sta- 
bility ) and, as each season that revolves 
adds a new layer to the oak, which, in the 
end, assists in determining the age of the 
tree, each new petition sent up from the 
heart to the Hearer of prayer, brings in- 
crease of strength, the soul gradually 
530 



reaches its appointed stature — the stature 
of a perfect man in Christ. 

Is the heart fixed in prayer ? Is it 
speaking in all earnestness to God ? Does 
it feel its wants, and wait on him for a 
supply ? — its weakness, and wait on him 
• for strength ? — its utter helplessness, and 
wait on him for all that the soul requires ? 
Then its strength will grow ; its graces 
will multiply ; it will shoot up like willows 
by the water-courses. The promise is : 
"It shall grow as the lily, and cast forth 
its roots like Lebanon." 

HE will never lack appetite for spiritual 
things, who lives much in the enjoy- 
ment of them. He will hunger and thirst 
after them ; — yea, covet them earnestly. 

CHRISTIAN! with all thy other pan- 
oply, forget not the " All Prayer." It 
is that which keeps bright and shining 
"the whole armor of God." While yet 
out in the night of a dark world — whilst 
still bivouacking in an enemy's country, 
kindle thy watch-fires at the altar of in- 
cense. Thou must be Moses pleading on 
53i 



the Mount, if thou wouldst be Joshua vic- 
torious in the world's daily battle. Confide 
thy cause to thy dear Redeemer. Thou 
canst not weary him with thine impor- 
tunity. He delights in hearing, and his 
Father is glorified in giving. He is the 
" Prince that has power with God and 
prevails," — our all prevailing Mediator 
and Intercessor. 

INSIPIDITY. 
" A languid, leaden iteration reigns, 
And ever must, o'er those whose joys are joys 
Of sight, smell and taste." 

BYRON, who could speak from experi- 
ence, told a painful truth when he 
wrote : 

" High life is but a dreary void." 
Void indeed it is of true happiness, but 
full of rivalry and jealousy and bitter hate, 
and all those irritations which are insepar- 
able from lives devoted to selfishness, 
gaudy display, and fashion worship. 

THE Spirit seals all true Christians; 
that is, he impresses the image of 
Christ upon them. He impresses feature 
for feature, and grace for grace, and final- 
532 



\y transforms them into the likeness of 
their Lord. And at the same time he rati- 
fies to their consciences an interest in all 
the promises of the Gospel ; and by in- 
fusing in their hearts the temper of child- 
ren, he gives them confidence at the 
Throne of Grace — disposes them to cry, 
" Abba Father," and bears witness with 
their spirits, that they are born of God. 
Thus God is not only revealed to them, 
but is in them, and they are made con- 
formable to him in all righteousness, good- 
ness and truth. 

THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION. 

" Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again 
to fear : but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, 
whereby we cry, Abba Father.' 1 — Romans viii: 15. 

THE spirit of bondage is the spirit 
generated by the law, which leads us 
to dread God's majesty, fear his wrath, 
and tremble in his presence. The Jews 
before their conversion had this. But the 
Spirit of adoption is the Holy spirit as 
the Spirit of Christ, which is given to us 
through the Gospel. We receive not this 
Spirit by the works of the law, but through 
the hearing of faith. We are made the 
533 



sons of God by adoption, an act without 
us ■ we receive the nature of the sons of 
God by regeneration, a work within us ; 
then we receive the Spirit of adoption, a 
favor conferred upon us. The Holy Spi- 
rit, as the Spirit of adoption, reveals God's 
paternal character, sheds abroad his love 
in our hearts, gives us soul-captivating 
views of him in the person of Jesus, and 
then secretly and sweetly whispers " Ab- 
ba, Abba ;" and, almost before we are 
aware of it, we look up and call God 
Father ! This is accompanied with a 
sweet sense of interest in him, and a soul- 
transforming enjoyment of his presence ; 
as the effect of which, all dread, fear, and 
bondage depart, and we have boldness 
and access with confidence into God's 
presence, by the faith of Jesus. Now we 
know Paul's meaning when he said, 
" Therefore, being justified by faith, we 
have peace with God through our Lord 
Jesus Christ ; by whom also we have access 
by faith into this grace wherein we stand, 
and rejoice in hope of the glory of 
God. Spirit of adoption, take up thy 
534 



permanent residence in my heart ! Lead 
me from all legal and soul-straitening 
views, and give me to enjoy my new cov- 
enant relationship, to the praise and glory 
of free grace." 

" Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit 
of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." — 
Galatians iv : 6. 

CHRISTIAN LIFE IS THE LIFE OF GOD 
in the soul. It is Christ IN US 

the hope of glory 

And then dawns the blissful con- 
sciousness of God in the human soul. 
It is the bending of a loving father 
over a penitent child, the restitution 
of an estranged affection in a broken 

AND CONTRITE HEART. It IS THE REKIND- 
ling of sacrificial fire upon an altar 
long dilapidated and desolate, the 
joyful re-lighting of the lamp of the 
Lord in the temple of God. . . . 
With our consenting will, he will 
garnish his temple with royal munifi- 
CENCE. Coming in contact with every 

FACULTY OF OUR BEING, HE WILL COMMUNI- 
CATE TO US AN UNDYING IMPULSE AND IN- 
535 



spiration. We shall realize more 
and more the powers of the world to 
come, till the noiseless, painless 
translation shall take place, and 
death shall be swallowed up in vic- 
TORY. 

THE Christian's whole happiness comes 
from looking to the tie that binds 
him to eternity : that is golden and bright ; 
and his Savior has promised that that 
shall never break ! Oh, the happiness of 
an assured hope. It is an anchor of the 
soul, both sure and steadfast. 

A MAN who has not faith, evidences 
that he is too proud to believe. He 
will not yield his intellect and believe 
humbly and meekly what God tells him 
to believe. He will not stoop to enter in 
through the door that leads to Heaven. 

BELIEVE AND LOVE. 

BELIEVE, and you shall love. Be- 
lieve much, and you shall love much. 
Labor for strong and deep persuasions of 
the glorious things which are spoken of 
536 



Christ, and this will command love. Cer- 
tainly, did men indeed believe his worth, 
they would accordingly love him ; for the 
reasonable cannot but love that which it 
firmly believes to be worthiest of affec- 
tion. Oh ! this mischievious unbelief is 
that which makes the heart cold and dead 
towards God. Seek, then, to believe 
Christ's excellency in himself, and his love 
to us, and our interest in him, and this 
will kindle such a fire in the heart as will 
make it ascend in a sacrifice of love to 
him. — Jeremy Taylor. 



IF we have faith, but manifest it not in" 
prayer, we deprive ourselves of the 
benefit of this ordinance. Prayer is the 
conduit pipe, to convey all the blessings 
of the upper and lower springs to the child- 
ren of men ; but if the passage be ob- 
structed it will be useless to us. Want of 
faith is a dangerous obstruction ; this will 
hinder the passage of all mercy; not a 
drop of the water of life will be conveyed 
by prayer without faith. Therefore it be- 
hooves us to have it. 
537 



A BACKWARDNESS to pray, luke- 
warmness, indifference and formality, 
are the signs of want of faith. 

WHAT keeps a Christian weak and 
wavering ? Unbelief. "If ye will 
not believe, surely ye shall not be estab- 
lished." If we depend upon our frames 
and feelings we draw from a summer 
brook, instead of the well of living waters. 
Pleasing experiences are cordials, but faith 
furnishes the soul's food. It is faith — 
strong faith that makes the Christian 
happy under all circumstances. " Be- 
lieving we rejoice with joy unspeakable 
and full of glory." " Filled with all joy 
and peace in believing." 

LIVING BY FAITH. 

LIVING by faith begets in the heart a 
son-like boldness and confidence to 
Godward in all our Gospel duties, under 
all our weakness, and under all our temp- 
tations. It is a blessed thing to be privi- 
leged with a holy boldness and confidence 
Godward, that he is on our side, that he 
538 



taketh part with us, and that he will plead 
our cause " with them that rise up against 
us." (2 Cor. ii. 14; iv. 17, 18; Gal. ii. 
27; Phil. iii. 2, 3; Rom. v. 11.) But 
this boldness faith helpeth us to do, and 
also manageth in our heart. This is that 
which made Paul always triumph and re- 
joice in God and the Lord Jesus ; he 
lived the life of faith ; for faith sets a man 
in the favor of God by Christ, and makes 
a man see that what befalls him in this 
life, it shall, through the wisdom and 
mercy of God, not only prove to his for- 
warding to heaven, but to augment his 
glory when he comes there. This man 
now stands on high, he lives, he is rid of 
slavish fear and carking cares, and in all 
his straits he hath a God to go to. Thus 
David, when all things looked awry upon 
him, "encouraged himself in the Lord his 
God." (1 Sam. xxx. 6.) Daniel also be- 
lieved in his God. and knew that all his 
trouble, losses, and crosses would be 
abundantly made up in his God. (Dan. 
vi. 23.) And David said, " I had fainted 
unless I had believed." Believing, there - 
539 



fore, is a great preservative against all 
such impediments, and makes us confident 
in our God, and with boldness to come 
into his presence, claiming privilege in 
what he is and hath. (Ps. xxvii. 13 \ 
Jonah iii. 4, 5 ; Heb. x. 22, 23; Eph. i. 
4, j.) For by faith, I say, he seeth his 
acceptance through the Beloved, and 
himself interested in the mercy of God, 
and riches of Christ, and glory in the 
world to come. This man can look upon 
all the dangers in hell and earth without 
paleness of countenance ; he shall medi- 
tate terror with comfort, " because he be- 
holds the King in his beauty." (Isa. 
xxxiii. 17, 18.) — Bunyan. 

THE higher a person advances in the 
divine life, — the nearer he goes on to 
perfection, the more spiritually-minded 
will he become ; so that the dying saint 
who has been serving God diligently 
throin-h a long career, may at last be only 
a little lower than the angels ; his spiritual- 
mindedness will at the close of his pil- 
grimage be vastly more developed. His 
540 



religion will have been rapidly progressive 
— like the sun shining more and more with 
its heavenward ascent, or to quote the 
words of the poet, 

" Like a fine setting sun, he will look richer in 

grace, 
And give a sure hope, at the end of his days 
Of rising in richer array." 

TO SEE THINGS AS THEY ARE, TO ESTI- 
MATE THEM ARIGHT AND TO ACT AC- 
CORDINGLY, is to be wise. — Govenor Jay. 

TO the end we may each one shine in 
his measure, we must learn to turn 
ourselves often towards him from whom 
our light is derived. Conversing with him 
daily will make us more and more like 
him. Were we more in the mount with 
God, our faces would shine more with 
men. — Leighton. 

BELIEVERS have been aptly termed 
heliotropes — turning their faces as 
the sunflower, toward the Sun of righteous- 
ness, and hanging their leaves in sadness 
when that sun is away. It will be in 
heaven the emblem is complete. There, 
54i 



every flower in the heavenly garden will 
be turned Godwards, bathing its tints of 
loveliness in the glory that excelleth ! 
Christian ! may it be yours, when o'er- 
canopied by that cloudless sky, to know 
all the marvels contained in the words of 
the apostle, " we shall be like Him, for 
we shall see him as he is." 

WALKING WITH GOD. 

THERE is a present happiness in walk- 
ing with God, in thirsting after con- 
formity to him, and aiming at it, which is 
indeed unknown by the world. It is of 
the most elevated character. It raises 
those who feel it above the petty strifes 
and contests, and selfish interests, that 
prove such a constant source of misery to 
others. The world is so little to those 
who are thirsting after God, that they can, 
if called upon, resign its lawful profits and 
advantages, as well as those pursuits and 
pleasures that are inconsistent with their 
high calling. Hence, we find the ad- 
vanced Christian raised above the world. 
He, as it were, looks down from heaven 
542 



upon the things of earth. Heaven is his 
home, his abiding place, so that his present 
reward is great indeed. The future re- 
ward, who shall attempt to describe ? 
" Blessed are they which do hunger and 
thirst after righteousness, for they shall be 
filled." To be filled, or satisfied entirely 
and forever! To be so filled with the 
mind of Christ ; to be so perfectly holy, 
so entirely one with God, as to have no 
unfulfilled desire ! We have neither 
words to describe, nor faculties to under- 
stand such blessedness as this. There 
are helps in Holy Scripture to make us 
in a measure understand something of 
what is awaiting the children of God ; as 
in i John iii: 2 : " Beloved, now are we 
the sons of God, and it doth not yet ap- 
pear what we shall be ; but we know that, 
when he shall appear, we shall be like 
him ; for we shall see him as he is." 

To be like Christ is inconceivably glo- 
rious, but we may advance a step farther. 
We are to be one with him. Our Lord 
declares this (John xvii : 21), when he 
prays " that they all may be one ; as thou, 
543 



Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they 
also may be one in us." This oneness 
with God is the highest conception we 
can form of our future glory, and this one- 
ness must commence here, " He that is 
joined to the Lord is one spirit." (i Cor. 
vi. 17.) The hungering and thirsting 
after righteousness is the beginning or 
germ of that oneness with God that shall 
then be complete. It is in a measure to 
have the mind or disposition of God — to 
love holiness. This longing for conformity 
to him is the nearest approach we can 
make here to the perfect oneness that 
shall exist hereafter between Christ and 
his redeemed people. Strive, then, after 
this blessed state of mind. Be much in 
prayer for the Holy Spirit. Study God's 
blessed word day and night. Attend 
upon his blessed ordinances. Remember, 
"The kingdom of heaven suffereth vio- 
lence, and the violent take it by force." 
(Matt. xi. 12.) Struggle against an indo- 
lent Christianity. Do not think heaven is 
won, or a spiritual mind attained, by a few 
faint desires ; but strive, agonize after 
544 



this conformity to God ; so shall you one 
day rejoice among those blessed ones 
who have hungered and thirsted after holi- 
ness here, and are eternally and com- 
pletely satisfied hereafter. 

" HPHE path of the just is as the shin- 
1 ing light, which shineth more and 
more unto the perfect day." Where all is 
right in the heart through the influence of 
divine grace, and. where the principle of 
action is pure and holy, — there the pro- 
gress cannot but correspond with the ex- 
cellence of the principle. In this case, 
there will be seen, the most interesting of 
all earthly sights, — the progress of a cor- 
rupt creature towards perfection, — the 
gradual transformation of a sinful mind 
into the Divine image ; the preparation of 
a sinful creature for the inheritance of the 
saints in light. 

Where the heart is not right with God, 
there will be no transformation like the 
above. 



A 



DISPOSITION to hear the word of 
God and obey it, is the greatest of 

545 



blessings. Even Mary herself was more 
blessed as Christ's believing and obedient 
disciple than as His Mother according to 
the flesh. See Luke n : 28. 

JESUS IS OUR SANCTIFICATION. 

M Who of God is made unto us sanctification."— i Cor- 
inthians, i : 30. 

TO be sanctified is to be separated from 
the world, set apart for God, and con- 
formed to the image of God. Jesus is the 
root or source of our sanctification. As 
we were chosen in him, are redeemed by 
him, and justified through him, so our 
sanctification flows from him. Is sancti- 
fication a cleansing ? It is by the water 
that he giveth. Is it a washing? We are 
washed, in the name of the Lord Jesus, by 
the Spirit of our God. Is it a separation ? 
That he might sanctify the people by his 
own blood, he sufierid without the gate. 
The agent that sanctifies is the Spirit of 
Christ. The means that sanctifies is the 
truth of Christ. The model after which 
we are fashioned is the image of Christ. 
The end for which we are sanctified is the 
glory of Christ. All our holiness flows 
546 



from Christ; nor can there be any true 
holiness without union to Christ. It is 
by union that the branch receives its 
sap and nourishment from the parent 
stem. It is by union that the member 
receives from the head. So it is by un- 
ion that we receive life, peace, holiness, 
and every blessing from Jesus. There- 
fore he said, " Separate from me ye can 
do nothing." There is no expiation for 
our sins, but by his blood. There is no 
acceptance before God, but in his right- 
eousness. So there is no true holiness, 
but by union to his person. In our sanc- 
tincation it is Christ alone. He repre- 
sented us, he ransomed us, he quickened 
us, he gives the Holy Spirit to us, and he 
makes us meet to be partakers of the 
saints in light. If we would be holy, we 
must look to Jesus, live on Jesus, walk 
with Jesus, copy the example of Jesus, 
and in everything aim at the glory of 
Jesus. 



A 



SOUL that delights to speak to God, 
will find that He also delights to 
547 



speak to it. No word spoken to Him, 
from the serious sense of a holy heart, is 
lost. He receives and returns it with ad- 
vantage. — Leighto?i. 

MERCY. 

" \\ ERCY, good Lord, mercy I ask, 
•*•»! This is the total sum : 
For mercy, Lord, is all my suit ; 
O let thy mercy come." 

GOD will dwell with us, not stay a little 
while only, — but abide permanently. 
His kingdom is within us, even his inti- 
mate presence, and a glorious presence it 
is, irradiating the countenance with joy, 
and filling the soul with a peace and hap- 
piness that passeth all understanding. 

THERE is a lively hope; there is an 
abounding in hope, and there is a full 
assurance of hope. This latter will fill us 
"with joy unspeakable and full of glory." 

THE Christian enjoys even here, that 
faint resemblance to Christ, which is 
the foundation of all spiritual graces : the 
faith and love ; the spiritual joy and hope ; 
the taste for what is excellent, and desire 
548 



of what is pure, are all found, though in 
an imperfect degree, even in this world. 
When developed, the man becomes an 
angel, and is made meet for Heaven. 

THE early Christians walked in the 
comforts of the Holy Ghost ; yea, 
they rejoiced " with joy unspeakable and 
full of glory." And all sincere Christians 
are enjoined repeatedly in the Word of 
God "to rejoice;" — "to rejoice in the 
Lord always," and to " be filled with the 
Spirit." This, therefore, is their impera- 
tive duty. All must endeavor to show 
that the religion of Christ is able to make 
its possessors happy ; that it can enable 
them to dispense with the dissipations of 
the world ; that it can sustain them under 
the trials of life, and raise them above the 
fear of death, and thus adorn the doctrine 
of God their Savior in all things. 

THE Christian should cultivate a cheer- 
ful disposition, and endeavor as much 
as lieth in him, to bear a smile about with 
him. He should recollect that this is as 
much a command of God, as that one 
549 



which says, " thou shalt love the Lord thy 
God with all thy heart." 

YOU destroy the divine image in your 
soul by sadness, says the holy Lom- 
bez. " God is joy." All nature rejoices 
in its Creator, and would you be sad ? 

ST. Gregory reckons sadness — "the 
sadness of the world, worldly sorrow " 
— among the seven capital sins. 

AS a countenance is made beautiful by 
the soul's shining through it, so the 
world is beautified by the shining through 
it of God. 

THE man that has the love of Christ 
in his heart, has a fountain that is 
ever bubbling up unto eternal life, for all 
the "fresh springs" there, have their rise 
in God. " God is in him of a truth." 

NEITHER gold, nor pearls, nor broid- 
ered hair, nor costly attire, are in 
themselves blameable, but the heart of 
those who wear them, when it suffers such 
things to alienate it from the Giver, and 
indisposes the mind to his service. They 
55o 



are all God's creatures, and are " no worse 
than light and lustre in the Sun ; than 
shape and comeliness in a tree ; or beau- 
ty, fragrance and variety of form and 
color in the flowers and herbs." 



PRAISE is the genuine expression of a 
healthy soul : not an artificial dress, 
but an emanation of love; not a magnifi- 
cent regalia for occasions, but an habitual 
garb. The quintessence of piety comes 
forth in praise, as the pith unfolds into 
foliage, or the crest foams out from the 
summit of the wave. David's life reveals 
itself in the Psalms, not in the career of 
the king. Paul's doxologies, flashing out 
through the rifts of his logic, emanate 
from hidden fires that are deeper than his 
doctrine. . . .All healthful experience 
runs up into praise. There is a centrifugal 
force in all noble emotion. Only selfish- 
ness, with its introverted eye, is silent 
amid the beauties and grandeurs of God. 
As soon as the fountains of the great deep 
in man are broken up the movement of 
55i 



the soul is outward and upward. The 
child feels himself at home in his father's 
house, and goes up and down in his joy- 
ous freedom. He believes God loves the 
ringing laughter of children. The staple 
of the Christian life is not sorrow, but joy. 
There is time for weeping ; but even that 
is softened by the anticipation of the joy 
that cometh in the morning. There must 
be the dark shadings of the background; 
but the tone of the picture is bright and 
cheerful. The tears of penitence reflect 
the rainbow of promise. Prayer is the 
trimming of the lamp to make it shine 
more brightly. All trustful supplication 
will culminate in doxology. All misertres 
will tone up into hallelujahs. 

HOLINESS is the gift of God; indeed 
the greatest gift he doth bestow, or 
we are capable to receive : and he hath 
promised his Holy Spirit to those who ask 
it of him. In prayer we make the nearest 
approaches to God, and lie open to the 
influences of heaven : then it is that the 
Son of Righteousness doth visit us with 
552 



his directest rays, dissipateth our darkness 
and imprinteth his image upon our souls. 

11 1 will ransom them from the power of the grave." 
— Hosea xiii. 14. 

'"INHERE is another way in which we 
1 get the victory over doubt, and that 
is by living in Christ. Doubts can only 
be dispelled by that kind of active life 
that realizes Christ ; and there is no faith 
that gives a victory so steadily triumphant 
as that. When such a man comes near 
the opening of the vault, it is no world of 
sorrows he is entering upon. He is only 
going to see things that he has felt, for he 
has been living in heaven. He has his 
grasp on things that other men are only 
groping after, and touching now and then. 
Live above this world, brethren, and then 
the powers of the world to come are so 
upon you that there is no room for doubt." 
— F. M. Robertson. 

THE more a person knows of God and 
of himself, the deeper will be his hu- 
mility; and the clearer and more pene- 
trating his spiritual vision, the less will he 
553 



be influenced by the things of sense and 
time, and the more will he be moved and 
influenced by things unseen and eternal. 

WHEN God cannot draw us to him- 
self with the cords of love, he drives 
us with his rod, and that is one end why 
he exercises his people with various trou- 
bles and afflictions. 

THOSE parents who instruct not their 
children in religious knowledge are 
like the cruel ostrich. (Job, 39 : 4.) 
They bring them forth, but leave them 
carelessly to be a prey to Satan and every 
vile lust. Far better for them had they 
never been born. 

THE LESSONS OF MEN'S LIVES. 

GEORGE BRUMMELL entered the 
fashionable world at the age of 
twenty-one, with a princely fortune at 
command. He gave himself wholly and 
entirely to the cultivation of the highest 
tastes of fashionable life. He spent ^Soo 
a year on dress alone ; and so refined was 
he in his manners and grace, that he 

554 



came to be admitted to the highest circles 
of the nobility, and the " Prince Regent," 
says his biographer, " would occasionally 
attend his dressing-room for an hour in 
the morning, to watch the mysterious 
grace with which he discharged the duties 
of his toilet." Years passed away, and 
this man's fortune was spent. His friends 
then deserted him ; he fled to the Conti- 
nent; begged for his bread in the streets 
of Paris, and died in a lunatic asylum. He 
had sown the wind; he reaped the whirl- 
wind ; and with him the fashions of life 
were found to be " vanity of vanities, and 
vexation of spirit." 

The great Duke of Marlborough accu- 
mulated a million of money, and died in 
wretchedness of mind, while his property 
went to enrich a family who were looked 
upon by him in his lifetime as his greatest 
enemies. A Scottish nobleman took a 
friend to the summit of a hill on his prop- 
erty, and told him that all he could look 
on was his own. " Surely your lordship 
must be a happy man," said his friend ; to 
which he replied, " I do not believe that 
555 



there is in all this vast circuit a more un- 
happy man than myself." The wealthy 
Colonel Charteris, when dying, said he 
would give ,£30,000 to any one who could 
prove to his satisfaction that there was no 
such place as hell. Elwes, the miser, 
when dying, was found weeping with 
anxiety and grief, because he had mislaid 
a five-pound note. 

A SOLEMN TESTIMONY. 

DR. SPRING, reviewing his long min- 
isterial career, gives the following 
testimony, which is instructive, solemn, 
and full of warning : 

" I have seen men and infidels die, and 
during a ministry of fifty-five years, I have 
not found a single instance of peace and 
joy in their views of eternity. No, noth- 
ing but an accusing conscience, and the 
terrors of apprehension. I have seen men 
die who were men of mercurial tempera- 
ment, men of pleasure and fun, men of 
taste and literature, lovers of the opera 
and the theatre, rather than the house of 
God ; and I never saw an instance in 
556 



which such a person died in peace. They 
died as they lived. Life was a blank, and 
death the king of terrors : a wasted life, 
an undone eternity !" 

WHAT are called the duties of society 
are strange enough. They may be 
defined as the mutual obligation of civil- 
ized beings to tease each other. Who has 
not one hundred times gone to see a per- 
son who wearied you, and whom you 
wearied, for the purpose of obliging him to 
come to weary you and himself at your 
house ? Is this not a picture of the world, 
with the exception of the chosen few 
whom one cannot meet too often? — 
De Tocqaeville, Letters. 

JN response to an inquiry as to the rule 
of the Protestant Episcopal Church re- 
specting the attendance of communicants 
at public balls and theaters, Bishop Bedell 
quotes at length from former bishops and 
pastoral addresses of the church, and 
from the proceedings of general conven- 
tions, and concludes as follows : " It is 
not easy to draw the line which separates 
557 



public from private amusements ; or ob- 
jectionable from those which are permis- 
sible. But ' gaming,' ' horse-racing/ ' pub- 
lic balls ' and ' theaters/ have been de- 
clared by the church to be objectionable 
and are forbidden to communicants ; and 
as to others, a communicant, and especi- 
ally a young communicant, will do well to 
keep within the safeguards of home life 
and of that social circle which is fre- 
quented and adorned by a parent's pres- 
ence." 

TILL a man has gained a practical fear 
of God, he is no better than the 
brutes that perish. All his thoughts and 
cares are on the present world — to the en- 
tire neglect of his soul. The Psalmist 
calls such men brutish. 

THE Christian should aspire after the 
highest attainments in piety ; for the 
brighter his virtues, the brighter will be 
his crown. — Bishop Hobart. 

CHRISTIANS are the temples of God ; 
they are partakers of the Divine na- 

558 



ture, and of such great importance that 
they cannot be spared from any place 
without detriment. They have power 
with God ; they are the salt of the earth, 
and the light of the world. Their value is 
inestimable. 

THE CHRISTIAN. 

THE Christian is a man, and more : 
an earthly saint ; an angel clothed 
in flesh ; the only lawful image of 
his Maker and Redeemer; the ab- 
stract of God's church on earth ; a 
model of heaven, made up in clay ; the 
lwing temple of the holy ghost. 

He WALKS ON EARTH, BUT CONVERSES IN 

heaven, having his eyes fixed on the 
invisible world, and enjoying a sweet 
communion with his god and savior. 
While the rest of the world sit in 
darkness, he lives in a perpetual light ; 
the heaven of heavens is open to none 
but him; thither his eye pierceth, 
and beholds those beams of inaccess- 
ible glory, which shine in no face but 

HIS. 

559 



IT is God's will, not only that his child- 
ren should reach heaven at last, but 
that heaven should commence on earth, 
in a state of conscious security and peace. 

THE naturalists observe that the pearl, 
by the frequent beating of the sun's 
rays upon it becomes radiant ; so the often 
beating of the Sun of righteousness, with 
his divine beams, upon the saints, causes 
them to glitter and shine in holiness, right- 
eousness and humbleness. 

RELIGION AT HOME. 

"T ET them learn first," said Paul, "to 
\^d show piety at home." Religion be- 
gins in the family. One of the holiest 
sanctuaries on earth is home. The fami- 
ly altar is more venerable than any altar 
in the cathedral. The education of the 
soul for eternity begins by the fireside. 
The principle of love, which is to be car- 
ried through the universe, is first unfold- 
ed in the family. 

INFLUENCE OF GOOD EXAMPLE. 

AT a meeting of the Historical Society 
held some years ago to take action 
560 



on the then recent death of Judge Jay, 
the following remarks were made by a dis- 
tinguished physician of this city, which, 
for the moral they inculcate, are well worth 
preserving : 

I cannot content myself with a silent 
vote on an occasion like the present. 

Judge Jay and myself were classmates 
for a period of four years in Yale College. 
During the more than half-century since 
we together received the honors of that 
venerable institution, it has been my good 
fortune to enjoy his valued friendship. 

He passed through the ordeal of college 
life without making an enemy or receiv- 
ing a reproof. Honored for his attain- 
ments, he was yet more distinguised for 
his uprightness and gentlemanly manners. 

Since I have risen, Mr. President, old 
memories crowd upon me. I venture to 
ask an old man's privilege, while I recur 
to an incident in a very early period of 
my professional life. It is germane to the 
matter before you. 

So long ago as in the year 1816, I was 
summoned to Bedford, to visit profession- 
561 



ally the overseer of Governor Jay. After 
finishing my duties at the Town-House, 
I went by invitation to the mansion of the 
venerable statesman, the father of our de- 
ceased associate. That the seeds of 
evil implanted in our natures have 
not borne more and ranker fruit in the 
speaker, he owes to that night's rest un- 
der the roof of that honored family. 
When most sorely tempted, I recall the 
scene in the family parlor — the venerable 
patriarch, and his children, and household, 
and those within his gates, uniting in 
thanksgiving and confession and prayer. 
Sir, it was more like heaven upon earth, 
than any thing I ever witnessed or con- 
ceived. It was worth more than all the 
sermons I ever listened to. This was the 
origin whence issued the late Peter A. Jay, 
the exemplar and model of a chivalric 
and Christian gentleman, and Mrs. Ban- 
yer, and Mrs. Jay, whose lives were passed 
in quiet charity, and whose memories re- 
cur to us when we thank God for the good 
examples of those who have gone before 
us. To trace so much good to its foun- 
562 



tain source, and to make a right use of 
the discovery, is worth more than a suc- 
cessful voyage to the source of the Nile 
or the Niger. 

Is there not a moral in this ? Do we 
not lack good examples more than good 
preaching ? 

Mr. President, I have done. More I 
need not say — less, I could not. 

Tint the good example of this illustrious 
man has not been without its good effect 
upon others, there can be no doubt. One 
instance at least is known to the writer of 
the family altar having been set up as a 
consequence, and of the voice of prayer and 
praise being heard daily in the domestic 
circle for near forty years, — this domestic 
circle being his own. 

IF there is truth in Scripture, if confi- 
dence may be placed in the declara- 
tions of martyrs and confessors, and the 
experience of Christians in all ages, there 
is nothing this world can give, of fortune, 
or reputation or pleasure ; nothing that 
can bear a moment's comparison with the 
563 



present reward of sincere faith, which is 
peace with God, and union with Christ. 

HE has the Son of God, in whose heart 
the spirit of God has formed Christ 
as the hope of glory. The Father hath 
given him the Son, and the spirit hath en- 
abled him to discern and enjoy the gift. 
All that the Savior brings to redeemed 
man, has become his forever, — life and 
light and glory. He is abiding in Christ, 
walking in Christ, and growing up in him, 
having by one spirit free access unto the 
Father, through him. 

INHERE are Christians who have the 
testimony of their conscience, and the 
word of God, that they are entitled to a 
joyful hope of glory, ready to be revealed. 
Such ought to know and value highly 
their inestimable privilege. With thanks- 
giving to God, and with overflowing joy, 
they should daily look forward to the 
bright scenes of future bliss that await 
them hereafter. One view of that glory- 
realized by faith, and appropriated by 
hope, will have an inconceivable influence 
564 



upon their minds. It will arm them with 
the fortitude of martyrs, console them with 
joys and consolations, such as the apostle 
felt, whom no trials or sufferings of an 
earthly kind could move. It will elevate 
devotion by a gratitude unspeakably great, 
for it will be gratitude for the hope of 
Heaven. It will render all earthly trials 
light, and all earthly enjoyments vain ; for 
weighed in the scale with heaven, they 
will both be lighter than vanity. 

WHAT a glorious career is before the 
Christian ! All his darkness shall 
yet be dissipated ; all that is now obscure 
shall be made light. Destined to live 
forever and ever ; capable of an eternal 
progression in knowledge; advancing to 
a world where all is light ; soon to be 
ushered into the splendors of that eternal 
abode where there is no need of the light 
of the sun or the moon, and where there 
is no night, we may well submit for a lit- 
tle time to the mysteries which hang over 
the Divine dealings, and with exulting 
feelings look onward. In a little time — a 
565 



few weeks or days — by removal to a 
higher sphere of being, we shall doubtless 
have made a progress in true knowledge, 
compared with which all that we have 
gained since we left our cradles is a name- 
less trifle ; and then all that there is to be 
known in those worlds that shine upon 
our path by day and night — all that is to 
be known in the character of our Maker 
and the principles of his moral govern- 
ment — all that is to be enjoyed in a world 
of glory without a cloud and without a tear 
— all that is beatific in the friendship of 
God the Father, of the ascended Redeem- 
er, of the Sacred Spirit, and of the angels 
— all that is blessed and pure in the good- 
ly fellowship of the apostles and martyrs 
— and all that is rapturous in reunion with 
the spirits of those we loved on earth, and 
the friendship of the " just made perfect," 
is before us. 

Let it be dark, then, a little longer ; let 
the storm a little longer beat around me, 
and the waves arise ; let even the heavens 
be overcast, so that I can see neither sun 
nor star, I will neither murmur nor com- 
566 



plain ; for I see the light burn clearly that 
stands on the shores of eternity, and that 
invites and guides me there. 

THE Gospel is designed to give us 
not only a peradventure, or a proba- 
bility, but a certainty, of our acceptance 
and perseverance till death shall be swal- 
lowed up of life. And though many are 
sadly fluctuating and perplexed upon this 
head — and perplexed all are more or 
less for a season — yet there are those who 
can say " we know that we are of God," 
and therefore they are steadfast and im- 
movable in his way, because they know 
that their labor shall not be in vain in the 
Lord. This is the state of the advanced 
experienced Christian, who having been 
enabled to make his profession the chief 
business of his life, "is strong in the Lord 
and in the power of his might," and re- 
joices in the prospect of the blissful im- 
mortality that awaits him. 

RITUALISM. 

WRITING to a young friend of ritu- 
alistic tendencies, then a member 

567 



of the Seminary, the late excellent Bis- 
hop Burgess says : " What can it possibly 
matter, my dear friend, so long as decen- 
cy and reverence are observed, that the 
body should be bent in one manner rath- 
er than another at the name of our Sa- 
vior : that we should kneel with or with- 
out a support ; that we should look to- 
ward the communion table or away from 
it ; that we should wear a rolling collar or 
a straight one ?" Then follows a passage 
in which he analyses with a keen blade 
the whole subject: 

" This, then, is my view of the whole 
matter of this excessive ritual spirit. It 
does not at all spring from respect for the 
decisions of the Church ; but is purely 
the result of inclination. In some it is a 
love of ceremonies ; in others, a repug- 
nance to a more inward religion ; in others, 
a thing of party ; in others, a poetic fan- 
cy ; in others, a love of antiquity, as such ; 
in others, a fondness for novelty ; in oth- 
ers, a very pitiable wish to distinguish 
themselves ; in others, a mere matter of 
taste ; in you, as far as it goes, a desire 
568 



for mental repose, which persuades you to 
lean too much upon any aid that offers it- 
self rather than to meet the conflict of 
theological discussion. 

This is very exhaustive ; but where does 
he stand himself? This is his own posi- 
tion: 

" I would have, beside the performance 
of public prayers and the administration 
and reception of the sacraments, private 
communion with God ; study of his Word ; 
holiness of heart ; diligence in all relative 
duties ; real solicitude for the salvation of 
others ; a willingness to become all things 
to all men for this end ; charity toward 
the blessed company of all the faithful peo- 
ple, whether within or without our portion 
of the catholic church ; cultivation of all 
things wherein there is any virtue or praise ; 
and, before all, a simple and entire reli- 
ance upon the redeeming sacrifice of our 
Lord, and a determination to preach the 
Gospel, and to know nothing as the Gos- 
pel except Christ and him crucified." 



569 



CHRISTIANS should serve God joy- 
fully at all times. No love is com- 
parable with his. 

ELECTION. 

THE apostles addressed the whole 
body of the Christian Church, as the 
"elect," "as predestinated to everlasting 
life," and yet these very Christians are ex- 
horted " to make their calling and elec- 
tion sure," to see that "they receive not 
the grace of God in vain," to "take heed 
lest they fall ; " " lest a promise being 
made to them of entering into God's rest, 
any fall short through unbelief." They 
are told also " that it is impossible for 
those who have been once enlightened 
and have tasted the heavenly gift and 
are made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 
and the powers of the world to come, if 
they fall away, to renew them again unto 
repentance." This scripture view of pre- 
destination, our Church sets forth in her 
17th article. The justification which 
Christians receive in baptism, is a condi- 
tional justification, and will prove only 
57o 



external and nominal unless it is preserved 
by that " true and lively faith " which 
bringeth forth good works. — Hobart, Vol. 
2d, p. 107. 

IT would be great presumption indeed, 
says Bishop Hobart, to confine salva- 
tion to the Christian Church. God " is 
not a hard master, reaping where he has 
not sown, and gathering where he has not 
strewed," and therefore where the Gospel 
is not proclaimed, he will not exact, as the 
condition of salvation, communion with 
that church into which men have no op- 
portunity of entering. The influences of 
that grace which Christ hath purchased 
for all men, may extend where it is not 
made known by visible signs and pledges ; 
and those who endeavor to act according 
to the dictates of reason and conscience, 
will finally be judged " according to what 
they have, and not according to what they 
have not;" but the rewards conferred 
on them will not be as great as those 
adjudged to those faithful members of 
Christ's mystical body, who through their 
57i 



communion with the church, enjoy the 
means and pledges of his grace and 
mercy. 

BY the Law of Moses, the Jews were 
forbidden to oppress their breth- 
ren, and to reduce them to perpetual 
bondage. The Christian religion has 
abolished the distinction between Jews 
and Gentiles, and teaches us to regard all 
men as brethren, and to do to each as we 
would they should do to us. 

REGENERATION and renovation are 
terms of distinct signification. By 
the former is meant our being born again 
into a new, a justified state; a state in 
which we are conditionally entitled to the 
blessings of salvation. And renovation, or 
" the renewing of the Holy Ghost," means 
that change of heart and life, through the 
operation of the Divine Spirit, which is 
necessary, finally, to secure to us the 
privileges of our baptismal justification. 

THE Apostles do not call on baptized 
Christians to be regenerated, but " to 



be transformed by the renewing of their 
minds," and thus to make their calling 
and election sure. . . The error would 
be fatal, which would suppose that no other 
spiritual change is necessary than that 
which takes place in baptism. — Bishop 
Hobart. 

THE reception of the doctrines re- 
vealed and the performance of the 
duties required by Jesus Christ, are evi- 
dences of our being given to him of the 
Father: they increase our knowledge of 
him, and love to him as a Savior ; and 
awaken expectations which will not be 
disappointed of dwelling with him forever. 

HOLY LIVING IS THE BEST, THE ONLY 
PREPARATION FOR HOLY DYING. 

HE who knows us infinitely better than 
we know ourselves, often puts a thorn 
in our nest to drive us to the wing, that 
we may not be grovellers forever. It is 
upon the smooth ice we slip ; the rough 
path is safest for the feet. The tearless 
and undimmed eye is not to be coveted 
here, — that is reserved for heaven. 



IT is evident from the ioth chapter of 
Daniel, that there are mighty but in- 
visible Angels, that take part in the affairs 
of Nations, and also of individuals. See 
20th and 21st verses. 

THERE is no throne of grace but 
through Christ ; no mercy seat for us 
but by his mediation. The throne of God, 
in Christ, is the throne of God and the 
Lamb ; so it is a throne of grace indeed. 
The throne of God, alone, is like his ap- 
pearance on Mount Sinai. There is no 
other throne for sinners without Christ, 
but that of justice, shadowed out by the 
burning mount ; all is black and dark, all 
dreadful and terrible, as smoke and storm 
and fire and death can render it. If the 
sinner would find a throne of grace, he 
must seek it in Christ, he must approach 
to God through him, as the Mediator of 
the new covenant. 

DEATH. 

THE King of Terrors comes to the true 
Christian, not as an enemy, but as a 
friend • not as a penalty, but as a blessing. 
574 



The apostle places death in the same cate- 
gory as the enjoyment of life. "All 
things are yours, whether life or death." 
The reason for so merciful a change in its 
character, is that Christ has " abolished 
death, and brought life and immortality to 
light." He has passed through the terri- 
ble ordeal before us, grappling with all its 
horrors, extracting all its bitterness, and 
now gives it back to us clad in a robe of 
radiant lustre, holding a broken sceptre in 
one hand, and a wreath in the other, with 
which to crown us with victory and tri- 
umph. — Applegate. 

BLESSED are those Christians who, 
like Enoch, walk with God. They 
must not indeed expect to be translated 
as he was. Yet as to its sting and its 
curse, Jesus has abolished death. He 
tells his followers "if a man keep my say- 
ings, he shall never see death." With re- 
gard to the believer, death is so changed 
in its nature and so blessed in its effects, 
that it does not deserve the name. No, 
he shall not die, but only go home, only 
575 



fall asleep in Jesus, only depart to be 
with Christ, which is far better. His body 
will also be changed, and fashioned like the 
Savior's own glorious body ; and so will 
he be forever with the Lord. The issue 
therefore is the same; and this is the 
grand thing. 

THE TRINITY. 

THE invocations in the Litany are 
made distinctly to each separate per- 
son of the Deity, and then to the Three 
in One. We acknowledge the glory of the 
Eternal Trinity, and worship the Unity. 
This occasions no distraction of thought, 
or fearful apprehension of not worshipping 
each person in due proportion. We need 
but lift up our hearts in true faith and ador- 
ing love; and whether we address the Father 
or the Son, we pray to one and the same 
God, who is over all. blessed forever. The 
primitive Christians prayed mostly to 
Christ. They were distinguished by the 
practice of calling on the name of the 
Lord Jesus. It is the will and purpose of 
God that at the name of Jesus every knee 
576 



shall bow. In paying Him homage, we 
give glory to the Father \ and in honoring 
the Holy Spirit, we honor the Father and 
the Son, from whom the spirit proceeds. 
Whether we exercise our best affections 
on the ever-loving Jehovah, as the foun- 
tain of life and happiness ; or on the 
lowly Redeemer, who wrought out for us 
the blessings of everlasting salvation ; or 
on the Comforter and Revealer, who fills 
us with joy and peace in believing, we 
know that we love the Lord as the one 
great object of worship, and have a just 
appreciation of his mercies in the plan of 
human redemption. — Applegate. 



SOLEMN and important was the advice 
given by Robert Hall. "Walk, as it 
were, upon the borders of the ocean of 
eternity, and listen to the sound of its 
waters, till you are deaf to every sound 
beside." O, if we always did this, what 
different persons we should be to what we 
are now, " in all manner of holy conver- 
sation and godliness." Archbishop Til- 
577 



lotson, when his brethren were all preach- 
ing on "the times," asked permission to 
discourse on eternity. 

PRIESTHOOD OF THE NEW COVENANT. 

ALL they that believe are now dignified 
to be priests unto God the Father. 
And this was signified by the rending of 
the veil in the temple at his death, not 
only that the ceremonies and sacrifices 
were to cease as being fulfilled in Him, 
but that the people of God that were be- 
fore by that veil held out in the outer 
court, were to be admitted into the holy 
place, as being all of them priests, and 
fitted to offer sacrifices. — Archbishop Leigh- 
ton. 

A DESIRE to depart and to be with 
Christ can only exist in a heart that 
is truly sanctified, and the strength of this 
desire will generally be just in proportion 
to the degree in which the world is cruci- 
fied, and the earnest of the Spirit is pos- 
sessed within. 



578 



HOLY joy and absorbing delight in 
God is one evident mark of advanc- 
ing sanctification and meetness for heaven. 

FAITH is essential to our salvation 
and assurance to our comfort. 

THE assurance of my hope of heaven 
(says Hooker) I will labor by prayer 
and the diligent use of all the means of 
grace to keep as a jewel unto the end. 

DESIRES after grace and holiness are 
sure signs that the same will be given. 

IF YOU WOULD BE HAPPY, LIVE IN CLOSE 
COMMUNION WITH GOD. THIS IS THE 
CHIEF SOURCE OF HAPPINESS. 

EVERY true Christian has the commence- 
ment of eternal life in his heart. 

THE Holy Ghost in our hearts is 
THE EARNEST OF OUR SALVATION. 
ITS GRACES ARE AS THE SURE AND CERTAIN 
EVIDENCES OF OUR FUTURE HAPPINESS, AS 
THE MORNING LIGHT IS OF THE ENSUING 
DAY. 

579 



"AS Man, Christ now fills the 
ii Throne of God," and as a conse- 
quence THE HUMAN NATURE WILL SIT 
ABOVE ALL CREATED THINGS, YEA ABOVE 
ANGELS, ENDUED WITH MAJESTY AND THE 
GREATEST GLORY ADAPTED TO IT, AND OF 
WHICH IT IS CAPABLE. 

SALVATION is not absolutely confined 
(says Bishop Hobart) to baptism, as 
a merciful Judge will dispense with his 
own institutions where they cannot be had, 
and when the rejection of them proceeds 
from a sincere and misguided judgment. 

THE holy man is the only wise man. 
Every worldly person, however great, 
rich, or learned he may be is called a fool 
in scripture. The saint only is designated 
as the truly wise and noble man. 

"AS man, Christ fills the throne of 
i\ God." 

And hath given Him authority to execute judgment 
also because he is the Son of Man.— John 5 : 47. 

THE judgment which Christ endured 
for us will not let us come into the 
judgment which he executes if we are 
580 



true Christians. Our process with him, 
has been long ago gained : the sentence of 
life has been already made out for us ; at 
the last day it will be revealed only. This 
is the great consolation which believers 
derive from this passage of St. John. But 
for unbelievers, the judgment here al- 
luded to, will be fearful, as it is to be exe- 
cuted by the Son of Man. — Butler's Com- 
mentary. 

IT is a comfortable consideration, says 
the Rev. Mr. Newton, that He with 
whom we have to do, our great High 
Priest, who once put away our sins by the 
sacrifice of himself, and now forever ap- 
pears in the presence of God for us,. is not 
only possessed of sovereign authority and 
infinite power, but wears our very nature, 
and feels and exercises in the highest de- 
gree those tendernesses and commisera- 
tions which I conceive are essential to 
humanity in its perfect state. The whole 
history of his wonderful life is full of in- 
imitable instances of this kind. His 
bowels were moved before his arm was ex- 
581 



erted ; he condescended to mingle tears 
with mourners, and wept over distresses 
which he intended to relieve. He is still 
the same in his exalted state ; compass- 
ions dwell within his heart. In a way in- 
conceivable to us, but consistent with his 
supreme dignity and perfection of happi- 
ness and glory, he still feels for his people. 
When Saul persecuted the members 
upon earth, the Head complained from 
heaven : and sooner shall the most tender 
mother sit insensible and inattentive to the 
cries and wants of her infant than the Lord 
Jesus be an nnconcemed spectator of his 
suffering children. No ; with the eye, and 
the ear, and the heart of a friend he at- 
tends to their sorrows; he counts their 
sighs, puts their tears in his bottle ; and 
when our spirits are overwhelmed within 
us, he knows our path, and adjusts the 
time, the measure of our trials, and every 
thing that is necessary for our present sup- 
port and seasonable deliverance, with the 
same unerring wisdom and accuracy ashe 
weighed the mountains in scales, and the 
hills in a balance, and meted out the 
582 



heavens with a span. Still more ; besides 
his benevolent, he has an experimental 
sympathy. He knows our sorrows, not 
merely as he knows all things, but as one 
who has been in our situation, and who, 
though without sin himself, endured, when 
upon earth, inexpressibly more for us 
than he will ever lay upon us. He has 
sanctified poverty, pain, disgrace, tempta- 
tion, and death, by passing through these 
states ; and in whatever condition his peo- 
ple are, they may by faith have fellowship 
with him in their sufferings, and he will, 
by sympathy and love, have fellowship 
and interest with them in theirs. What, 
then, shall we fear, or of what shall we 
complain, when all our concerns are writ- 
ten on his heart, and their management, 
to the very hairs of our head, are under 
his care and providence ; when he pities 
us more than we can do ourselves, and 
has engaged his almighty power to 
sustain and relieve us ? However, as 
he is tender, he is wise also ; he loves us, 
but especially with regard to our best in- 
terests. If there were not something in 
583 



our hearts and our situation that required 
discipline and medicine, he so delights in 
our prosperity that we should never be in 
heaviness. The innumerable comforts 
and mercies with which he enriches even 
those we call our darker days are sufficient 
proofs that he does not willingly grieve us ; 
but when he sees a need be for our chas- 
tisement, he will not withhold it because 
he loves us ; on the cofitrary, that is the 
very reason ivhy he afflicts. He will put 
his silver into the fire to purify it ; but he 
sits by the furnace as a refiner, to direct 
the process and to secure the end he has in 
view, that we may not suffer too much, 
nor suffer in vain. 

WARNING NEGLECTED. 

HEAVEN gives the needful but neglected 
call. 
What day, what hour, but knocks at human 

hearts, 
To wake the soul to sense of future scenes ? 
Deaths stand, like Mercuries, in every way, 
And kindly point us to our journey's end. 

SOLID virtues can be grafted on no 
stock but that of religion ; universal 

584 



righteousness can be raised on none but 
gospel principles. " Who is he that over- 
cometh the world, but he that believeth 
that Jesus is the Christ ?" 

UNEASINESS and disappointment are 
inseparable, in some degree, from 
every state on earth. No man is pleased 
in being precisely what he is. He who is 
engaged in business pines for leisure. He 
who enjoys leisure languishes for want of 
employment. In a single life, we envy 
the comforts of a family. In a conjugal 
life, we are chagrined with domestic cares. 
It is the doom of man that his sky should 
never be free from clouds. The objects 
which surround him are beneath his native 
dignity. God has tinged them all with 
vanity, on purpose to make him feel that 
this is not his rest; that he is not in 
his proper place, nor arrived at his true 
home. 

EARTH'S highest station ends in " Here 
he lies f And " Dust to dust " con- 
cludes her noblest song. 



585 



PRIVATE devotion prepares the heart 
for the public duties of religion. He 
who willingly neglects the one has seldom 
much enjoyment in the other. Jt is the 
want of private prayer that causes many 
to be so dull and formal, so lifeless and un- 
fruitful, under the public means of grace. 

GOD regards the state of the heart in 
prayer, and, however eloquent the 
tongue, will accept no more than what the 
heart utters in sincerity. 

AFFLICTION is a school of virtue ; it 
corrects levity, and interrupts the 
confidence of sinning. 

FAILINGS OF THE GOOD. 

SUCH is the force of envy and ill na- 
ture, that the failings of good men are 
more published to the world than their 
good deeds, and that one fault of a de- 
serving man shall meet with more re- 
proaches than all his virtues will with 
praise. — Jeremy Taylor. 

FRIENDSHIP. 

A FAITHFUL and true friend is a liv- 
ing treasure, inestimable in possession, 

586 



and deeply to be lamented when gone. 
Nothing is more common than to talk of 
a friend, nothing more difficult than to 
find one, nothing more rare than to im- 
prove by one as we ought. 

LIFE. 

'"PHOUGH we seem grieved at the 
1 shortness of life in general, we are 
wishing every period of it at an end. The 
minor longs to be of age, then to be a 
man of business, then to make up an es- 
tate, then to arrive at honors, then to re- 
tire. — Addison. 

ON FAITH IN CHRIST. 

TO believe in Christ is, under the heart- 
felt conviction of guilt and in abhor- 
rence of it, to depend on his blood as the 
propitiation which God himself hath set 
forth for our sin. It is to make use of 
this plea alone, that the hand of provoked 
justice may not seize, nor the arm of om- 
nipotence destroy our soul, " Jesus was 
wounded for those very transgressions 
whereof my conscience is afraid, and 
bruised for those very iniquities I am now 
587 



bewailing with a godly sorrow." In de- 
spair of ever receiving pardon through the 
merit of any thing we can do to help our- 
selves, or through the uncovenanted mercy 
of God, it is to place our whole confidence 
in Jesus, " as made a sin offering for us, 
though he knew no sin, that we might be 
made the righteousness of God in him." 
It is under a consciousness of daily sin, 
and of the infinite holiness of God, to es- 
teem Christ as our passover ; to be per- 
suaded that the merit and virtue of his 
blood is our whole safeguard from deserved 
wrath, just as the Israelites of old looked 
on the blood sprinkled on their doors as 
the only safeguard from the destroying 
angel. 

Christ presents our persons unto God 
— presents us acquitted from guilt, adorned 
with his righteousness, and united to him- 
self in such near relations, as, if we be re- 
jected he must be rejected. Nothing in our 
persons so presented can prejudice our 
petitions. This was typified by the high 
priest carrying the names of all the tribes 
on his breast into the holy of holies. He 
588 



presents us as those who are dear to him ; 
does, as it were, take us by the hand, and 
lead us to his Father and our Father. He 
presents us as those that are as near to 
him as his own members ; and in refer- 
ence to that intimate union, we are said 
" to sit with him in heavenly places." 

He also offers our prayers. This was 
the high priest's office ; and he was a type 
of Christ herein. The Lord receives our 
petitions from his hand. He, as it were, 
takes us in one hand, and our petitions in 
the other, and in this engaging posture 
delivers them. Can any fear that the 
Lord will reject a petition delivered by 
the hand of Christ ? 

DIVINE grace, even in the heart of 
weak and sinful man, is an invincible 
thing. Drown it in the waters of adver- 
sity, it rises more beautiful, as not being 
drowned indeed, but only washed. Throw 
it into the furnace of fiery trials, it comes 
out purer, and loses nothing but the dross 
which our corrupt nature mixes with it. 



589 



LIFE does not consist in the abundance 
of things a man possesses ; but in obe- 
dience to the will of God, and in the en- 
joyment of his presence. And he has the 
true enjoyment of it who considers it in 
this light, and uses it for the purpose of 
preparing himself for the eternal world, 
and in promoting the spiritual and eternal 
interests of his fellow-creatures. To live 
is, in the estimation of the Christian, to 
discharge conscientiously the duties of his 
station, to watch diligently over the state 
of his mind, to mortify and subdue every 
evil temper and corrupt passion ; to em- 
ploy his time, his talents, and his influ- 
ence, in promoting the glory of God and 
the good of his fellow-creatures ; to main- 
tain communion with him in his soul, to 
advance daily in the knowledge of the 
truth, and to be in some measure prepared 
to participate in the employments of the 
blessed spirits above. 

He who considers life in the view above 

mentioned, and employs it thus, will enjoy 

a true peace of soul, because his existence 

will be employed to the noblest purposes, 

5QO 



the most usefully to others, and the most 
advantageously to himself; because he 
will live in the way which the Lord of life 
has prescribed to his creatures. 

Smitten friends 

Are angels sent on errands full of love ; 
For us they languish, and for us they die ; 
And shall they languish, shall they die, in vain ? 

LOOK upon doing good as truly your 
business as prayer, or hearing the 
word, or meditation. And, therefore never 
think your time misspent which is laid out 
in visiting the imprisoned or sick, reliev- 
ing the necessitous, comforting the afflict- 
ed, and encouraging those that err into the 
paths of sobriety and truth. 

THE mercy seat of old was the place of 
meeting which God appointed for 
Moses and for the high priests. But now 
it is not the special privilege of some par- 
ticular persons only to come to the mercy 
seat, but all Christians may have access to 
the throne of grace. There may we meet 
with God ; there he is willing to commune 
with us • there he is ready to reveal him- 
59i 



self to us, to cause his glory to pass be- 
fore us ; there our fellowship may be with 
the Father and the Son. And offering 
himself to us on a throne of grace, he of- 
fers to us the greatest happiness ; for com- 
munion with himself is the greatest happi- 
ness on earth or in heaven. And he 
would have those who draw near to him to 
expect what is answerable to his throne and 
dignity. The Lord will then show his mag- 
nificence ; he will give royally. " No good 
thing will he withhold," &c. He would have 
us expect from him no less than all that 
is good, no less than all that heart can de- 
sire. He assures us of no less than all 
this in the various passages of his word. 
He will deal royally with his people. We 
dishonor him, and evidence great weak- 
ness of faith, if we do not expect it. It is 
the glory of his throne to do it. " With 
boldness, therefore, and confidence," 
should Christians always draw near to 
present their petitions. 



592 



BEWARE what earth calls happiness ; be- 
ware 
All joys but joys that never can expire. 
Who builds on less than an immortal base, 
Fond as he seems, condemns his joys to death. 

WE who have this veil of flesh stand- 
ing between us and the world of 
spirits, must be content to know that the 
Spirit of God is present with us by the ef- 
fects which he produces in us. Our out- 
ward senses are too gross to apprehend 
him : we may, however, taste and see how 
gracious he is by his influence upon our 
minds ; by those virtuous thoughts which 
he awakens in us ; by those secret com- 
forts and refreshments which he conveys 
into our souls ; and by those ravishing joys 
and inward satisfactions which are perpet- 
ually springing up and diffusing themselves 
amid all the thoughts of good men. He 
is lodged in our very essence, and is as a 
soul within a soul, to irradiate its under- 
standing, rectify its will, purify its passions, 
and enliven all the powers of man. How 
happy, therefore, is an intellectual being, 
who, by prayer and meditation, by virtue 
593 



and good works, opens this communica- 
tion between God and his own soul ! 
Though the whole creation frowns upon 
him, and all nature looks black about him, 
he has his light and support within him 
that are able to cheer his mind and bear 
him up amidst all those horrors that en- 
compass him. He knows that his Helper 
is at hand, and is always nearer to him 
than anything else can be which is capa- 
ble of annoying or terrifying him. In the 
midst of calumny or contempt, he attends 
to that Being who whispers better things 
within his soul, and whom he looks upon 
as his defender, his glory, and the lifter up 
of his head. In his deepest solitude and 
retirement he knows that he is in com- 
pany with the greatest of beings, and per- 
ceives within himself such real sensations 
of his presence as are more delightful than 
anything that can be met with in the con- 
versation of his creatures. Even in the 
hour of death he considers the pains of 
his dissolution to be nothing else than the 
breaking down of that partition which 
stands betwixt his soul and the sight of 
594 



that Being who is always present with him, 
and is about to manifest itself to him in 
fulness of joy. 

If we could be thus happy and thus 
sensible of our Maker's presence from the 
secret effects of his mercy and goodness, 
we must keep such a watch over ail our 
thoughts that " his soul may have pleasure 
in us." We must take care not to grieve 
his Holy Spirit, and endeavor to make the 
meditation of our hearts always acceptable 
in his sight, that he may delight to thus 
reside and dwell with us. In a word, we 
must endeavor so to live as to realize that 
gracious promise of his Son, " If any man 
love me, he will keep my words ; and my 
Father will love him, and we will come 
and make our abode with him." 



PRACTICAL PIETY. 



" Only add 

Deeds to thy knowledge answerable ; add faith, 
Add virtue, patience, temperance ; add love, 
By name to come called charity, the soul 
Of all the rest, — then wilt thou not be loath 
To leave this paradise, but shalt possess 
A paradise within thee happier far." — Milton. 

595 



THE SAVIOR S CARE OF HIS PEOPLE. 

HE who once bore our sins and carried 
our sorrows is seated upon a throne 
of glory, and exercises all power in heaven 
and earth. Thrones, principalities, and 
powers bow before him. Every event in 
the kingdoms of providence and grace 
are under his control. His providence 
pervades and manages the whole, and is 
as mifintely attentive to every part as if 
there were o?ily that single object in his 
view. From the highest archangel to the 
meanest ant or fly, all depend on him for 
their being, their preservation, and their 
powers. He directs the sparrows where 
to build their nests and to find their food. 
He overrules the rise and fall of nations, 
and bends with an invincible energy and 
unerring wisdom all events ; so that while 
many intend nothing less, in the issue, 
their designs all concur and coincide in 
the accomplishment of his will. He re- 
strains, with a mighty hand, the still more 
formidable efforts of the powers of dark- 
ness ; and Satan, with all his hosts, cannot 
exert their malice a hair's breadth beyond 
596 



the limits of his permission. This is he 
who is the head and husband of his be- 
lieving people. How happy are they 
whom it is his good pleasure to bless ! 
How safe are they whom he has engaged 
to protect ! How honored and privileged 
are they to whom he is pleased to mani- 
fest himself, and whom he enables and 
warrants to claim him as their friend and 
portion ! 

Having redeemed them by his blood, he 
sets a high value upon them ; he esteems 
them his treasure, his jewels, and keeps 
them as the pupil of his eye. They shall 
not want ; they need not fear ; his eye is 
upon them in every situation ; his ear is 
open to their prayers, and his everlasting 
arms are under them for their sure sup- 
port. On earth he guides their steps, con- 
trols their enemies, and directs all his 
dispensations for their good ; while in 
heaven he is pleading their cause, prepar- 
ing them a place, and imparting to them 
the reviving foretastes of the glory that 
shall be shortly revealed. O, how is this 
mystery hidden from an unbelieving 
597 



world ! Who can believe it, till it is made 
known by experience, what an intercourse 
is maintained in this land of shadows be- 
tween the Lord of glory and sinful worms ! 
How should we praise him that he has 
visited us ! for we were once blind to his 
beauty and insensible to his love ; and 
should have remained so to the last had 
he not prevented us with his goodness, 
and been found of us when we sought him 
not. 



1 CONGRATULATE you and myself 
that life is fast passing away. What a 
superlatively grand and consoling idea is 
that of death ! Without this radiant idea, 
— this delightful morning star, indicating 
that the luminary of eternity is going to 
rise, — life would, to my view, darken into 
midnight melancholy. O, the expecta- 
tion of living here, and living thus always, 
would be indeed a prospect of overwhelm- 
ing despair. But thanks to that fatal de- 
cree that dooms us to die ! thanks to that 
gospel which opens the visions of an end- 
598 



less life ! and thanks, above all, to that 
Savior friend who has promised to con- 
duct the faithful through the sacred trance 
of death into the scenes of paradise and 
everlasting delight ! — I. Foster. 

AFFLICTION is the wholesome soil of vir- 
tue ; 
Where patience, honor, sweet humanity, 
Calm fortitude take root and strongly flourish. 

WHAT sculpture is to a block of mar- 
ble, education is to the human 
soul The philosopher, the saint, the 
hero, the wise, and the good, or the great, 
very often lie hid and concealed in a 
plebeian, which a proper education might 
have disinterred and brought to light. — 
Addison. 

SHAME is a great restraint upon sin- 
ners at first ■ but that soon falls off ; 
and when men have once lost their inno- 
cence, their modesty is not likely to be 
long troublesome to them. For impu- 
dence comes on with vice, and grows up 
with it. Lesser vices do not banish all 
shame and modesty ; but great and abom- 
599 



inable crimes harden men's foreheads, 
and make them shameless. When men 
have the heart to do a very bad thing, 
they seldom want the face to bear it out. 
— Tillotsofi. 

THE foolish and wicked practice of 
profane cursing and swearing is a vice 
so mean and low that every person of 
sense and character detests and despises 
it. — Gen, Washington. 

THE seeds of repentance are sown in 
youth by pleasure ; but the harvest is 
reaped in age by pain. 

ALL the precepts of Christianity agree 
to teach and command us to moder- 
ate our passions, to temper our affections 
towards all things below : to be thankful 
for the possession, and patient under the 
loss, whenever He that gave shall see fit 
to take away. 

LORD BACON. 

THIS gentleman was one of the greatest 
geniuses of England, and, what is 
more than all, a sincere Christian. How 
600 



pleasant to turn away from the vaporing 
pomp and parade of philosophers and in- 
fidels to the pages of such men as Bacon, 
and hear him saying, " A little philosophy 
inclineth men's minds to atheism; but 
depths in philosophy bring men's minds 
about to religion " ! We find a prayer of 
his which begins with these words, and 
which we record as his last testimony: 
" Thy creatures, O Lord, have been my 
books; but thy Holy Scriptures much 
more. I have sought thee in the courts, 
fields, and gardens ; but I have found 
thee, O God, in thy sanctuary, thy tem- 
ples." 

WILBERFORCE RICHMOND. 

THE interesting narrative, recorded by 
the Rev. E. Bickersteth, of the final 
hours of W. Richmond, the second son of 
the Rev. L. Richmond, will supply an il- 
lustration of early piety, and of its power 
to sustain the mind of the young in the 
prospect of coming dissolution. 

In answer to his father's question, 
" What are your present feelings, my dear 
boy ?" he replied : 



" I feel, papa, more hope than joy. I 
have read of ecstacies in the view of dy- 
ing which others have experienced, and to 
which I am still a stranger \ but I have a 
hope, founded on the word of God, which 
cheers and supports me. I know in whom 
I have trusted; and I believe he will 
neither leave nor forsake me. I am not 
afraid of death ; but as I think my time 
will not be long, I wish to put myself in 
the Lord's hand, and then into yours, that 
you may search and try me whether I am 
in any error." 

" I found his mind," writes his father, 
" clear as to the great principle of his ac- 
ceptance with God, clearly and unequivo- 
cally through the death and righteousness 
of Christ. In the most simple and satis- 
factory manner he renounced all depend- 
ence upon every word and deed of his own. 
1 It is,' said he, ' as a guilty sinner before 
God that I throw myself upon his mercy ; 
I have no excuse to offer for myself, no 
plea to put in why God should not utter- 
ly destroy me, but that Christ died to save, 
to pardon, and to bless me. It is his free 
602 



gift, and not my deserving. O papa, what 
would become of me if salvation were by 
works / What have I ever done ? And 
above all, what in my present state could 
I now do, to merit anything at his hands ? 
God forbid that I should rest upon such 
a. flimsy, fallacious system of divinity as 
that which ascribes merit to man. I have 
no merit. I can have none. I thank 
God I have long known this. I fear many 
trust in themselves, and thus rob Christ of 
his glory.' 

" I referred," said his father at another 
time, " to a conversation which I once had 
with an individual who objected to an ap- 
plication of that expression, 'the chief of 
sinners,' to himself and said it was only in- 
tended to describe the peculiar circum- 
stances of St. Paul. ' Then I am sure/ 
said Wilberforce, ' that person could not 
have been rightly convinced of guilt in 
his own conscience. I do not know what 
the critic may say on such a passage ; but 
I am quite satisfied that when the heart is 
opened to itself, the expression, " chief of 
sinners," will not appear too strong to des- 
603 



cribe its character. I have often heard 
you say, papa, that the view of religion 
which most honors God is that which most 
debases the sinner and exalts the Savior. 
I never felt this to be so true as at the 
present moment.' His pallid but intelli- 
gent countenance, as he said this, seemed 
to express more than he could find words 
to utter." 

Towards the close of his life, when his 
fever ran high, he awaked from a short 
doze. " I observed him," again says his 
father, "rest his eyes on a globe of water 
which stood near a window and contained 
a gold fish. I asked him what he was 
looking at so earnestly. He replied, 1 1 
have watched the mechanical motion of 
our gold and silver fish in that globe. 
There is now only one left, and that seems 
to be weak and sickly. I wonder which 
of us will live the longest, the fish or I.' 
He paused, and then added, ' That fish, 
my dear papa, is supported by the water 
in the vessel ; but I hope I am supported 
by the waters of salvation. The fish will 
soon die and live no more ; but if I am 
604 



upheld by the water of salvation, I shall 
live forever.' Soon after, a gleam of light 
from the setting sun shone upon the gold 
fish, and produced a brilliant reflection 
from its scales, as it swam in the glass 
vessel. ' Look,' said he, • at its beauty 
now!' 

" So, my dear boy, may a bright and 
more glorious sun shine on you, and gild 
the evening of your days ! 

" ' I hope,' he replied, ' although I 
sometimes feel a cloud and a doubt pass 
across my mind, that in the evening time 
there shall be light, and then in his light I 
shall see light.' " 

The conflicts of this youth, as death 
approached, were sometimes unusually 
severe. " O, death ! death ! what is it ? 
I have still to go through death — the dark 
valley !" Suddenly, with a wild express- 
ion of countenance, and in a bitter tone, 
he exclaimed, ' O, agony ! agony ! agony ! 
I shall perish, after all ! Satan will have 
me, after all ! Papa, pray for me \ he tells 
me I shall be lost ; he tells me my sins 
will damn me. O, papa, this is agony ! 
605 



all is dark, dark ! all gone, all lost ! And 
has Christ brought me thus far to leave me 
at last ?" 

The father remonstrated, wept and 
prayed with his son. But he could not re- 
ceive the offered consolation. 

" O papa, what will become of me ? I 
am going into the dark valley alone. Je- 
sus has left me. It is all dark, dark, dark ! 
The ' rod and staff' do not support me. 
Satan fights hard for me \ and he will carry 
me away at last." 

At length the cloud departed, and the 
sunshine of salvation beamed again upon 
the spirit. Here is the blessed exit : — 

" ' What is to-morrow ?' he asked. 

" ' It is the Sabbath.' 

"He seemed pleased, and earnestly 
begged that the congregation might be re- 
quested to pray for him in the church. 
On Sunday morning he was much weaker, 
and his end was evidently fast approach- 
ing. To a kind friend who had nursed 
him he said, ' How do I look now ?' 

" She saw the approach of death in his 
languid eye and pallid countenance. 
606 



■ You look worse, master William ; I do 
not think that you can live much longer.' 

" The effect produced by her opinion 
was truly astonishing. His dim eye light- 
ed up ; all his features assumed a new 
life ; and, turning to her, he said, ! O, 
thank you, dear Mrs. G. ; good news ; 
you tell me good news. Shall I indeed 
be in heaven to-day ?' His father came 
into the room. 'Papa,' said he, 'how do 
I look ? Am I altered ?" 

" f No, my dear boy; I see little differ- 
ence in you.' 

" He was evidently disappointed. ' Do 
you see no difference?' said he. f Mrs. G. 
does. She has made me happy; she 
thinks I may die to-day.' 

" My father sat with him the whole of 
the day, while we were at church, and 
Willy asked him to read the service for 
the visitation of the sick. He listened 
with devout attention ; and when it was 
ended, he said, ' O, my dear papa, what 
beautiful prayers ! What an affecting 
service ! It expresses my whole heart.' 

" He then said to his mother, ' I love to 
607 



look at you, mamma j I love to smile at 
you ; but I want to smile at Jesus.' 

" He had been accustomed to teach a 
class in Sunday school, and begged that 
his dying message might be written down 
and sent to the children that evening. 
He had not been able to lie in bed for a 
week, owing to the pain in his side ; but 
on Sunday evening he expressed a wish to 
be undressed and put to bed, being in- 
clined to sleep. He was accordingly put 
to bed, and lay very tranquil and com- 
fortable. His father stood watching be- 
side him till he thought him asleep. He 
then went to his study, as he afterward 
told us, to pray that, if it were God's will, 
his child might have quiet and ease in his 
last moments ; for he much dreaded the se- 
verity of a dying agony, which, from the 
past, he thought probable. As he was going 
away he blessed him, and looking at him 
as he lay serene and beautiful in his re- 
pose, he said, ' So he giveth his beloved 
sleep.' 

"Willy opened his eyes on hearing 
these words, and replied, ' Yes, dear 
608 



papa ; and the rest which Christ gives is 
sweet.' These were his last words. He 
immediately sank into a long and peace- 
ful slumber. Mrs. G., his faithful nurse, 
stood and watched beside him. We could 
hear distinctly every breath he drew, and 
the least change in the sound was per- 
ceptible. One or two breathings were 
slower and longer, which made us get up 
and look at him. He appeared as if 
slumbering very sweetly. There was no 
alteration in his countenance ; and we 
were going to sit down again, when Mrs. 
G. said, 'Call your papa immediately.' 
We did so, and he came just in time to 
hear his last sigh." 

CONSTANT activity, in endeavoring to 
make others happy, is one of the 
surest ways of making ourselves so. 

REMORSE. 

LET the virtuous remember, amidst 
their affliction, that, though the heart 
of a good man may bleed even to death, 
it will never feel a torment equal to the 
rendings of remorse. 

609 



DEATH is the crown of life. 
Were death denied, poor man would live 
in vain ; 
Were death denied, to live would not be life ; 
Were death denied, even fools would wish to 

die. 
Death wounds to cure ; we fall to rise and 

reign. 
The King of Terrors is the Prince of Peace. 

— Young. 



C 



HRISTIANITY is the good man's 
text ; his life the illustration. 



AS amber attracts a straw, so does 
beauty admiration, which only lasts 
while the warmth continues; but virtue, 
wisdom, goodness, and real worth, like 
the loadstone, never lose their power. 
These are the true graces which, as the 
poet feigns, are linked and tied hand in 
hand, because it is by their influence that 
human hearts are so firmly united to each 
other. — Burton. 

THE Holy Ghost delights to lade the 
wings of secret prayer with his sweet- 
est, choicest, and richest blessings. Hence 
it is that the word of Christ dwells most 
610 



richly in those who are most diligent and 
fervent in pouring out their hearts to him 
in secret. 

MARKS OF A PROSPEROUS SOUL. 

i A GOOD hope of acceptance by faith 
ii in Christ. 

2 A continued witness of God's Spirit that 
our sins are pardoned. 

3 A constant exercise to have a con- 
science void of offence towards God 
and man. 

4 A sweet and calm confidence that all 
our affairs are under the direction of 
God, so as to be fully satisfied that he 
will order and overrule all for our good. 

5 Life and communion with God in 
prayer, public worship, and reading his 
holy word. 

6 An abiding conviction that we, and all 
we have, are the Lord's, that we may 
serve him with all our mind and 
strength. 

ADAM'S righteousness, if it had con- 
tinued a thousand years, might have 
been lost by sin ; but Christ's righteous- 
6n 



ness makes an end of sin, and so makes a 
justified state endless. Thus secure are 
those who are interested in him by faith, 
and who evidence the genuineness of it 
by a life comformable to his will. 

MEN of the noblest dispositions think 
themselves happiest when others 
share their happiness with them. — Taylor. 

THE moral virtues, without religion, 
are but cold, lifeless, and insipid; it 
is only religion which opens the mind to 
great conceptions, fills it with the most 
sublime ideas, and warms the soul with 
more than sensual pleasures. — Addison. 

TRUE happiness, says Addison, is of a 
retired nature, and an enemy to 
pomp and noise ; it arises, in the first 
place, from the enjoyment of one's self; 
and in the next, in the friendship and con- 
versation of a few select companions. It 
loves shade and solitude, and naturally 
haunts groves and fountains, fields and 
meadows ; in short, it feels every thing it 
wants within itself, and receives no addi- 
612 



tion from multitudes of witnesses and 
spectators. On the contrary, false hap- 
piness loves to be In a crowd, and to 
draw the eyes of the world upon her. She 
does not receive any satisfaction from the 
applause which she gives herself, but from 
the admiration which she raises in others. 
She flourishes in courts and palaces, thea- 
tres and assemblies, and has no existence 
but when she is looked upon. 

PROCRASTINATION has been called 
a thief; the thief of time. I wish it 
were no worse than a thief. It is a mur- 
de7-er ; and that which it kills is not time 
merely, but the immortal soul. — Nevins. 

1HAVE known, says the pious Dr. 
Coleridge, what the enjoyments and 
advantages of this life are, and what the 
more refined pleasures which learning and 
intellectual power can bestow; and with 
all the experience that more than three- 
score years can give, I now, on the eve of 
my departure, declare to you that health 
is a great blessing ; competence, obtained 
by honorable industry, a great blessing ; 
613 



and a great blessing it is to have kind, 
faithful, and loving friends and relatives ; 
but that the greatest of all blessings, as it 
is the most ennobling of all privileges is 
to be indeed a Christian. 

I SEE it is much easier to pull up many 
weeds out of a garden than one cor- 
ruption out of the heart; and to procure 
a hundred flowers to adorn a knot, than 
one grace to beautify the soul. It is more 
natural to corrupt man to envy than to 
imitate the spiritual excellences of others. 

GOD ON THE SIDE OF VIRTUE. 

THERE are two things that speak as 
with a voice from heaven — that He 
who fills that eternal throne must be on 
the side of virtue, and that which he be- 
friends must finally prosper and prevail. 
The first is, that the bad are never com- 
pletely happy and at ease, although pos- 
sessed of every thing that this world can 
bestow; and that the good are never 
completely miserable, although deprived of 
every thing that this world can take 
away. The second is, that we are so 
614 



framed and constituted that the most 
vicious can but pay a secret, though un- 
willing, homage to virtue, inasmuch as the 
worst men cannot bring themselves to 
thoroughly esteem a bad man, although 
he may be their dearest friend ; nor can 
they thoroughly despise a good man, 
although he may be their bitterest enemy. 

1 WOULD have every one consider that 
he is in this life only a passenger • and 
that he is not to set up his rest here, but 
to keep an attentive eye on that state of 
being to which he approaches every mo- 
ment, and which will be forever fixed and 
permanent This single consideration 
should be sufficient to extinguish the bit- 
terness of hatred, the thirst of avarice, 
and the cruelty of ambition. — Addisofi. 

THOSE who make religion, says Mr. 
Addison, to consist in the cotitemptoi 
this world and its enjoyments, are under 
a very fatal and dangerous mistake. As 
life is the gift of heaven, it is religion to 
enjoy it. He, therefore, who can be happy 
in himself, and who contributes all that is 
615 



in his power towards the happiness of 
others, (and none but the virtuous can be 
and do so,) answers most effectually the 
ends of his creation, is an honor to his 
nature, and a pattern to mankind. 

TESTIMONY OF A DEIST TO THE BIBLE. 

WE always recur, says the Rev. Mr. 
Melvill, with great delight to the 
testimony of a Deist, who, after publicly 
laboring to disprove Christianity and to 
bring Scripture in contempt as a forgery, 
was found instructing his child from the 
pages of the New Testament. When 
taxed with the flagrant inconsistency, his 
only reply was that it was necessary to 
teach the child morality, and that nowhere 
was there to be found such morality as in 
the Bible. We thank the Deist for the 
confession. Whatever our scorn of a man 
who could be guilty of so foul a dishon- 
esty, seeking to sweep from the earth a 
volume to which, all the while, himself re- 
curred for the principles of education, we 
thank him for his testimony that the 
morality of Scripture is a morality not 
616 



elsewhere to be found ; so that, if there 
were no Bible, there would be compara- 
tively no source of instruction in duties 
and virtues, whose neglect and decline 
would dislocate the happiness of human 
society. The Deist was right. Deny or 
disprove the Divine origin of Scripture, 
and nevertheless you must keep the vol- 
ume as a kind of text book of morality, if 
indeed you would not wish the banish- 
ment from our homes of all that is lovely 
and sacred, and the breaking up, through 
the lawlessness of ungoverned passions, of 
the quiet and the beauty which are yet 
around our families. 

NEGLECT OF THE GOSPEL. 

BE ye well assured that, if ye could in- 
terrogate the spirits in wretchedness, 
negligence would be that which they would 
chiefly give as the cause of their ruin. 
There would be comparatively few who 
would tell you they had rejected Christ- 
ianity; few that they had embraced 
Deistical views; few that they had in- 
vented for themselves another mode of 
617 



acceptance ; but the many — the many — 
their tale would be that they designed, but 
delayed, to hearken to the gospel; that 
they gave it their assent, but not their at- 
tention; that, — are ye not staggered by 
the likeness to yourselves ? — though they 
knew, they did not consider ; apprised of 
danger, they took no pains to avert it ; 
having the offer of life, they made no 
effort to secure it ; and therefore perished, 
finally, miserably, everlastingly, through 
neglect of the great salvation. God grant 
that none of us, byimitating their neglect, 
share their misery. — Melvill. 

EXTRACT FROM A LETTER TO ONE ON THE 
LOSS OF A FRIEND. 

MOTIVES for resignation to the will 
of God abound in his word ; but it 
is an additional mercy that he has prom- 
ised to apply and enforce them in time of 
need. He has said, ' My grace shall be 
sufficient for thee ; ' and ' as thy day is, so 
shall thy strength be.' This I trust you 
have already experienced. God is so 
rich and good that he can by a glance of 
618 



thought compensate his children for what- 
ever his wisdom sees fit to deprive them of. 
If he gives them a lively sense of what he 
has delivered them from and prepared for 
them, or of what he himself submitted to 
endure for their sakes, they find at once 
light springing up out of darkness, hard 
things become easy, and bitter sweet. . . 
All the comfort you ever received in your 
dear friend was from God, who is abund- 
antly able to comfort you still ; and he is 
gone but a little before you. May your 
faith anticipate the joyful and glorious 
meeting you will shortly have in a better 
world. Then your worship and converse 
together will be to your unspeakable ad- 
vantage, without imperfection, abatement, 
or end. Then all tears shall be wiped 
away and every cloud removed ; and then 
you will see that all your concernments 
here below were appointed and adjusted 
by infinite wisdom and love. 

" The Lord, who knows our frame, does 
not expect or require that we should aim 
at a stoical i?idiffere?ice under his visita- 
tions. He allows that afflictions are at 
619 



present not joyous, but grievous ; yea, he 
was pleased, when upon earth, to weep 
with his mourning friends when Lazarus 
died. But he has graciously provided for 
the prevention of that anguish and bitter- 
ness of sorrow which is, upon such occa- 
sions, the portion of such as live without 
God in the world ; and has engaged that 
all shall work together for good, and yield 
the peaceable fruits of righteousness. M ay 
he bless you with a sweet serenity of 
spirit, and a cheerful hope of the glory 
that shall shortly be revealed." 

CHRIST is the Prince of Peace. He 
came to mediate between heaven and 
earth ; and we are reconciled to God by his 
death; he died for all, and was more than 
all. The value of his sacrifice was infi- 
nite, and every end that could have been 
ans7vered by the destruction of a world of 
sinners has been equally and better an- 
swered by the death of the Savior. 



LEAN not on earth ; 'twill pierce thee to the 
heart ; 
A broken reed at best, but oft a spear ; 
On its sharp point peace bleeds and hope ex- 
pires. 

REMEMBER always the presence of 
God. Rejoice always in his will, 
and direct all to his glory. 

SELF-KNOWLEDGE. 

TRUE self-knowledge always produces 
humility. Pride is ever the offspring 
of self-ignorance. The reason men are 
vain and self-sufficient is because they do 
not know their own failings ; and the rea- 
son they are not better acquainted with 
them is because they hate self-inspection. 
Let a man but turn his eyes within, scru- 
tinize himself, and study his own heart, 
and he will soon see enough to make him 
humble. " Behold, I am vile," is the lan- 
guage only of self-knowledge. 

THE Christian graces are like per- 
fumes : the more they are pressed, 
the sweeter they smell ; like stars, that 
shine brightest in the dark; like trees, 
621 



which the more they are shaken the deep- 
er root they take, and the more fruit they 
bear. — Burton. 

IMMORTALITY. 

'npiS the Divinity that stirs within us ; 
1 'tis heaven itself that points out an 
hereafter, and intimates eternity to man. 
— Addison. 

THEY who are most weary of life, and 
yet are most unwilling to die, are 
those who have lived to no purpose ; who 
have rather breathed than lived. — Claren- 
don. 

A good man's prayers 

Will from the deepest dungeon climb heaven's 

height, 
And bring a blessing down. — Baillie. 

TRUST IN GOD. 

LOOK at that beautiful butterfly, and 
learn from it to trust in God. One 
might wonder where it could live in tem- 
pestuous nights, in the whirlwind, or in 
the stormy day ; but I have noticed it is 
safe and dry under the broad leaf, while 
622 



rivers have been flooded and the moun- 
tain oaks torn up from their roots. — Tay- 
lor. 

THE soul, considered with its Creator, 
is like one of those mathematical 
lines that may draw near to another for 
all eternity without a possibility of touch- 
ing it ; and can there be a thought so 
transporting as to consider ourselves in 
these perpetual approaches to Him who is 
not only the standpoint of perfection, but 
of happiness ? — Addison. 

HEAVEN. 

THRICE happy world, where gilded toys 
No more disturb our thoughts, no more 
pollute our joys : 
There light and shade succeed no more by 
turns ; 
There reigns th' eternal Sun with an unclouded 

ray ; 
There all is calm as night, yet all immortal 
day ; 
And truth forever shines, and love forever 
burns. — Watts. 

A GOOD conscience is to the soul 
what health is to the body ; it pre- 
serves constant ease and serenity within 
623 



us, and more than countervails all the 
calamities and afflictions which can befall 
us without. — Addison. 

THE character is like white paper ; 
if once blotted, it can hardly ever be 
made to appear as white as before. One 
wrong step often stains the character for 
life. It is much easier to form a good 
character at first than it is to do it after 
we have acquired a bad one ; to preserve 
the character pure, than to purify it after 
it has become defiled. 

REV. DAVID CLARKSON. 

AS many very beautiful extracts from 
the writings of this good man have 
been inserted in the " Companion," it is 
deemed proper to give a brief account of 
his life and character. 

Mr. Clarkson was the son of Mr. Rob- 
ert Clarkson, of Bradford, in Yorkshire 
(England,) and was born February, 1622. 
He was for some time a fellow of Clare 
Hall, Cambridge. At this time Arch- 
bishop Tillotson was his pupil. This 
gentleman bore a singular respect for Mr. 
624 



C. as long as he lived • and upon the re- 
signation of his fellowship, succeeded him 
in that office. Upon the death of Mr. C, in 
1687, Dr. Bates preached his funeral ser- 
mon, from which the following account is 
taken : " He was a man of sincere godli- 
ness and true holiness, which is the divine 
part of a minister. He was a conscien- 
tious improver of his time for acquiring 
useful knowledge, that he might be thor- 
oughly furnished for the work of his divine 
calling. Humility and modesty were the 
distinctive characters wherein he excelled. 
He was well satisfied to serve the church, 
to illustrate the truth, and to remain in his 
beloved retreat. In his conversation a 
comely gravity, mixed with an innocent 
pleasantness, were attractive of respect 
and love. He was of a calm temper, a 
temper not ruffled by passion, but gentle, 
kind, and good ; his breast was the tem- 
ple of peace. In the discharge of his 
sacred work his intellectual abilities and 
holy affections were very evident. Great 
was his solemnity and reverence in prayer, 
and his preaching was very instructive and 
625 



persuasive. His death was unexpected, 
yet, as he declared, no surprise to him ; 
for he was entirely resigned to the will of 
God, and he desired to live no longer than 
to be serviceable. With holy Simeon, he 
had Christ in his arms ; and departed in 
peace to see the salvation of God above." 

Note. — The late General Matthew Clarkson, of New 
York, formerly president of the American Bible So- 
ciety, was a descendant of this gentleman. Also the 
present Bishop Clarkson, of Nebraska.— Editor. 

A SAINT loves whatever resembles 
Christ, whatever belongs to him — his 
people, his image, his ordinances; and 
the Lord loves whatever belongs to the 
saint. As a saint, his love extends itself 
to his friends, his goods, his posterity ; he 
shows mercy unto thousands of them who 
love him. 

"T AM in a strait betwixt two, having a 
1 desire to depart and to be with Christ, 
which is far better." How few are arrived 
to such a pitch of spirituality ! This de- 
sire is the fruit of faith with respect to the 
reality and glory of the eternal state and 
our interest in it. According as the reve- 
626 



lation of the invisible kingdom is to our 
minds, such is its attractive power on our 
hearts. To vanquish the terrors of death, 
and with a clear and cheerful spirit to 
leave the body in the grave, that we may 
be ever freed from sin and made like to 
Christ in purity and glory, is the effect of 
love stronger than death. 

OF temporal things which are truly good, 
perhaps the principal ones we would 
wish to enjoy are a sound mind and health- 
ful body. Health and peace, a moderate 
fortune, and a few friends, sum up all the 
undoubted articles of temporal felicity. 
High happiness on earth is rather a pic- 
ture which the imagination forms than a 
reality which a man is allowed to possess. 



opens heaven, and lets 



PRAYER, ardent, 
down a stream 
Of glory on the consecrated hour 
Of man in audience with the Deity. 

^PEN thy mouth," said God, and I 
will fill it. You shall not only re- 
ceive, but you shall be filled. He will 
supply all our need from the riches of his 
627 



•Q, 



glory. He will bless us with all spiritual 
blessings in heavenly places in Christ. 

Where is the Christian who lives up to 
his duty or his privilege ? For God not 
only answers prayer really, but proportion- 
ably. He says, " Be it unto thee as thou 
wilt" 

Let not him, therefore who prays rare- 
ly and coldly, think to succeed like the 
frequent and fervent petitioner. " Pray, 
then, without ceasing." " Covet earnest- 
ly the best gifts." The "hungry and 
thirsty shall be filled." 

AS Moses, by conversing with God, was 
changed into the same image from 
the glory of Him with whom he conversed, 
there passed some glory upon him, which 
shone in his face, so that the Israelites 
could not steadfastly behold him, even so 
by knowing Christ, and beholding the 
glory of God shining in his face, the soul 
is, at it were, changed into the same image 
from glory to glory ; that is, from Christ's 
glory there passes a glory upon the soul 
as there did upon the face of Moses ; 
628 



and this is done by the Spirit of God, the 
Spirit of holiness working in the soul those 
gracious qualities which are the begin- 
nings of glory here and a resemblance to 
the image of Christ, who is the Lord of 
glory; thus assimilating the soul to him 
in part here, and perfectly hereafter. 
Thus the seeing of Christ will make those 
who see him like unto him. 

RICHARD CECIL. 

AS this good man drew near to death, 
Jesus Christ was his only topic. His 
apprehensions of the work and glory of 
Christ, and of the unspeakable importance 
of a spiritual union with him, grew, if pos- 
sible, more distinct. He spoke of his 
Savior with the feeling and seriousness of 
a dying believer. 

" I know myself to be a wretched and 
worthless sinner, having nothing in myself 
but poverty and sin. I know Jesus Christ 
to be a glorious and Almighty Savior. I 
see the full efficacy of his atonement and 
grace ; and I cast myself entirely on him, 
and wait at his footstool. I am aware 
629 



that my diseased and broken mind makes 
me incapable of receiving consolation; 
but I submit myself wholly to the wise and 
merciful dispensations of God." 

He often repeated, with the martyr 
Lambert, " None but Christ j " " None 
but Christ," and just before his death he 
caused these words to be written down in 
a book, and to them he subscribed his 
name. 

In his last hours he dictated a letter to 
his son, in which were the following lines : 
"I am only able now in a dying state to 
send my blessing and prayers for your 
welfare. I wish to say that Christ is your 
all, in ti?ne and eternity. I have been in 
a most affecting state by a paralytic stroke; 
but Christ is all that can profit you or 
me; a whole volume could not contain 
more, or so much. O, pray day and night 
for an interest in him. And this is all I 
can say — it being more than having the 
Indies." 

MISFORTUNE does not always wait on 
vice ; 
Nor is success the constant guest of virtue. 
630 



FRIENDSHIP improves happiness and 
abates misery, by doubling our joy 
and dividing our grief. — Addison. 

ENMITY. 

SCORN no man's love, though of a mean 
degree ; 
Much less make any one thine enemy. 

AS threshing separates the wheat from 
the chaff, so does affliction purify 
virtue. — Burton. 



T 



HE truly generous is truly wise, 
And he who loves not others lives un- 
blessed. — Home. 

THE injuries of life, if rightly improved, 
will be to us as the strokes of the 
statuary on his marble — forming us to a 
more beautiful shape, and making us fitter 
to adorn the heavenly temple. — Mather. 
world . 

All its ends, 

Arrangements, changes, disappointments, 

hopes, 
And fears are without meaning, if not seen 
And estimated by eternity. — Edwards. 

WHATEVER you would have your 
children become, strive to exhibit 
631 



in your own lives and conversation. — 
Sigournefs Letters to Mothers. 

AS God's other thoughts are not as 
ours, so his thoughts of grace and 
mercy for the relief and supply of his peo- 
ple, and the ways wherein he is willing to 
help us, are far above ours, even as the 
heavens are high above the earth. Who 
more willing to relieve a child in want or 
distress than an affectionate father ? Yet 
that willingness comes short of His : " If 
ye, being evil, know how to give good 
gifts to your children, how much more 
shall your heavenly Father give the Holy 
Spirit to them that ask him ?" The gift 
of the Spirit is the sum of all good things : 
it comprises spiritual light, life, strength, 
treasures, comforts. And the Lord is 
much more willing to give all these than 
any father to supply his child. 

THE face of Moses shone, when he 
came down from the mount, the re- 
flected rays of the divine Majesty lin- 
gered on it ; the people saw that he 
had been with God. And it is ever thus. 
632 



No man leaves the presence of Christ 
without carrying with him that which will 
distinguish him from other men ; a mind 
less preyed on by worldly cares, affections 
elevated above worldly vanities, a holy 
abhorrence of all that is polluting and 
base, a soaring of the thoughts and desires 
to heaven, a humble professing and sus- 
taining of this character — a pilgrim and a 
stranger on the earth, a native of heaven 
in a foreign land. The world around him 
will "take knowledge that he has been 
with Jesus f for " the spirit of glory and 
of God resteth upon him." 

THE sincere Christian wants no bright 
Shekinah, no cloud of glory, to 
make manifest to him the indwelling 
of God in his heart. Were he not there, 
he knows that his heart would be a 
stranger to the love which often warms it, 
the peace which keeps, and the hope which 
cheers it. God never enters the heart 
alone ; blessings unspeakable follow in his 
train — light, and purity, and joy. He 
does not at once turn it into a heaven ; 
633 



but he makes it so much like heaven that 
the happy Christian had rather be for- 
saken of the whole world than have his 
God depart from his soul. 

RELIGION'S all. Descending from the 
skies 
To wretched man, the goddess in her left 
Holds out this world, and in her right the next. 
Religion, Providence, an after state, — 
Here is firm footing ; here is solid rock ; 
This can support us ; all is sea besides ; 
Sinks under us, bestorms, and then devours. 
His hand the good man fastens on the skies, 
And bids earth roll, nor feels her idle whirl. 

BIBLE. 

IT is the light of my understanding, the 
joy of my heart, the fulness of my 
hope, the clarifier of my affections, the 
mirror of my thoughts, the consoler of my 
sorrows, the guide of my soul through 
this gloomy labyrinth of time, the tele- 
scope sent from heaven to reveal to the eye 
of man the amazing glories of that far- 
distant world. — Dwight. 

ONE watch, set right, will do to try 
many by ; but on the other hand, one 
634 



that goes wrong may be the means of mis- 
leading a whole neighborhood ; and the 
same may be said of the example we in- 
dividually set to those around us. 

CARD PLAYING. 

IT is very wonderful to see persons of 
the best sense passing away a dozen 
hours in shuffling and dividing a pack of 
cards, with no other conversation but 
what is made up of a few game phrases, 
and no other ideas but those of black or 
red spots ranged together in different fig- 
ures. Would not a man laugh to hear any 
one of his species complaining that life is 
short ? — Addison. 

FAMILY WORSHIP. 

WHEN we reflect that all we possess, 
all that we desire, is the gift of our 
God ; that we are dependent on him for 
our life and every blessing which renders 
life comfortable ; that the health of our 
families and every domestic enjoyment 
flow from the Giver of every good and 
perfect gift, — surely we cannot think it too 
much to consecrate to his service a few 
635 



moments every morning and evening for 
domestic worship. How pleasing to see a 
master erecting in his house an altar to 
the God of Israel ! The cares and vicis- 
situdes of life for a short time flee away, 
and the sacrifice of holy devotion ascends, 
while the band of worshippers unite in 
fervent prayer to Him whose they are and 
whom they delight to serve. In that house 
God is honored ; there his ark finds a 
resting-place ; there a temple is conse- 
crated to his service \ and there he com- 
mands his blessing, even life forevermore. 
When morning dawns they unite in thank- 
ing God for the kindness which has shield- 
ed them through the night, and imploring 
the same kindness to shield them through 
the day. When evening returns they bow 
together at the footstool of mercy, grate- 
ful for the goodness which has attended 
them through the day, and entreating the 
same goodness to guard them through the 
night. In the morning prayer unlocks the 
treasures of heaven to their souls ; in the 
evening it secures them under the protec- 
tion of Omnipotence. — Rev. J. Clarkson. 
636 



LIFE is made up, not of great sacrifices 
or duties, but of little things, in which 
smiles and kindnesses and small obliga- 
tions, given habitually, are what win and 
preserve the heart and secure comfort. — 
Sir Humphrey Davy. 

WOULDST ihou from sorrow find a sweet 
relief? 
Or is thy heart oppressed with woes untold ? 
Balm wouldst thou gather for corroding grief ? 
Pour blessings round thee like a shower of 
gold. 

PRAYER. 

IN the morning, prayer is the key that 
opens to us the treasure of God's mer- 
cies and blessings ; in the evening, it is 
the key that shuts us up under his protec- 
tion and safeguard. 

CONTENTMENT. 

WHAT though we quit all glittering pomp 
and greatness, 
We may enjoy content ; in that alone 
In greatness, power, wealth, honor all summed 
up. 

FROM social intercourse are derived 
some of the highest enjoyments of 
637 



life. Where there is a free interchange of 
sentiments, the mind acquires new ideas ; 
and by a frequent exercise of its powers 
the understanding gains fresh vigor. — 
Addison. 

THE end of learning is to know God, 
and out of that knowledge to love 
him and to imitate him, as we may the 
nearest by possessing our souls of true vir- 
tue. — Milton. 

IT is the greatest madness to be a hypo- 
crite in religion. The world will hate 
thee because a Christian even in appear- 
ance; and God will hate thee because so 
only in appearance; and thus, having the 
hatred of both, thou shalt have no com- 
fort in either. — Bishop Hall. 

RELIGION. 

IF it were only the exercise of the body, 
the moving of the lips, the bending of 
the knee, men would as commonly step to 
heaven as they go to visit a friend ; but to 
separate our thoughts and affections from 
the world, to draw forth all our graces and 
engage each in its proper object, and to 
638 



hold them to it till the work prospers in 
our hands, — this, this is the difficulty. — 
Baxter. 

HUMILITY cannot be degraded by 
humiliation. It is its very character 
to submit to such things. There is a con- 
sanguinity between benevolence and hu- 
mility. They are virtues of the same 
stock. — Burke. 

WHEN I look upon the tombs of the 
great, every emotion of envy dies in 
me. When I read the epitaphs of the 
beautiful, every inordinate desire goes 
out. When I meet with the grief of 
parents upon a tombstone, my heart melts 
with compassion. When I see the tomb 
of the parents themselves, I consider the 
vanity of grieving for those whom we must 
quickly follow. When I see kings lying 
by those who deposed them, when I con- 
sider rival wits placed side by side, or the 
holy men that divided the world with 
their contests and disputes, I reflect with 
sorrow and astonishment on the little com- 
petitions, fashions and debates of man- 
639 



kind. When I read the several dates of 
the tombs, of some that died yesterday 
and some six hundred years ago, I con- 
sider that great day when we shall all of 
us be contemporaries, and make one ap- 
pearance together. 

VIRTUE, not rolling suns, the mind ma- 
tures : 
That life is long which answers life's great 
end. 

THE closing scene of Voltaire's life 
can never be forgotten. We are in- 
formed " that almost unimaginable were 
the torments of his mind ; his cries were 
piercing as the shrieks of a fiend; his 
atheistic associates, who would fain have 
steeled his spirit, fled before his curses ; 
the nurse who waited upon him would never 
afterwards tend the death bed of an unbe- 
liever; and the physician declared that 
the furies of Orestes were nothing to the 
tortures of Voltaire." 

IT is a fact, that some of the hardiest 
Christian warriors who have fought un- 
der Christ's banners, were once his most 
640 



powerful and bitter enemies. Instance 
John Newton and John Bunyan. 

HE who formed us knew beforehand 
what services he intended for us ; and 
if we desire to serve him, he will qualify 
us for all which he has for us to do or suf- 
fer in the world, and carry us through it. 

IT is not our light afflictions, but our 
fiery trials, such as those which Job en- 
dured, which test our Christian patience. 
Then it is that we are tempted to entertain 
hard thoughts of God and of his justice. 
Happy they who can imitate Job's patience 
and faith under such circumstances. 

DEVOTION is the sole asylum of hu- 
man frailty, and the sole support of 
heavenly perfection ; it is the golden chain 
of union between heaven and earth, and 
keeps open a blessed communication. 
He that has never prayed can never con- 
ceive, and he that has prayed as he ought 
can never forget, how much is to be gained 
by prayer. 

641 



CHRIST OUR HAPPINESS. 

THOU art the source and centre of all minds, 
Their only point of rest, Eternal World! 
From thee departing they are lost, and rove* 
At random, without honor, hope, or peace. 
From thee is all that soothes the life of man. 
His high endeavor and his glad success, 
His strength to suffer and his will to serve. 
But, O thou bounteous Giver of all good, 
Thou art of all thy gifts thyself the crown. 
Give what thou canst ; without thee we are 

poor, 
And with thee rich, take what thou wilt away. 

ADVICE TO THE CLERGY. 

PREACH Christ Jesus the Lord; de- 
termine to know nothing among your 
people but Christ crucified; let his 
name and grace, his spirit and love, tri- 
umph in the midst of all your sermons. 
Let your great end be to glorify him in 
the hearts, to render him amiable and pre- 
cious in the eyes, of his people ; to lead 
them to him as a sanctuary to protect 
them, a propitiation to reconcile them, a 
treasure to enrich them, a physician to 
heal them, an advocate to present them 
and their services to God ; as wisdom to 
642 



counsel, as righteousness to justify, as 
sanctification to renew, as redemption to 
save, as an inexhaustible fountain of par- 
don, grace, comfort, victory, glory. Let 
Christ be the diamond to shine in the bo- 
som of all your sermons. 

THE HUMAN FRAME. 

OUR life contains a thousand springs, 
And dies if one be gone ; 
Strange that a harp of thousand strings 
Should keep in tune so long ! 
HOLY THOUGHTS. 

HOLY thoughts of God must be as- 
siduously watered by prayer, earthed 
up by meditation, and defended by watch- 
fulness ; and yet all this is sometimes too 
little to preserve them alive in our souls. 
Alas ! the heart is a soil that agrees not 
with them ; they are tender things, and a 
small matter will nip and kill them. But 
vain thoughts and unholy suggestions, — 
these spread themselves and root deep in 
the heart ; they naturally agree with the 
soil, so that it is almost impossible at 
any time to be rid of them. It is hard to 
forget what it is our sin to remember. 
043 



CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE. 

THE gospel doth not only represent the 
doctrine of Christ to be believed, but 
also the life of Christ to be followed ; nor 
shall any have him for their advocate and 
propitiation but such as are willing to have 
him for th ir pattern and example; to 
copy out and imitate his humility, patience, 
purity, • benignity, and self-resignation. 
None shall be benefited by his death that 
are unwilling to habitually endeavor to 
conform their lives to the holy require- 
ments of his word. 

HUMILITY. 

THE high mountains are barren, but 
the low valleys are covered with 
corn; and accordingly the showers of 
of God's grace fall in lowly hearts and 
humble souls. The more poor in spirit, 
the more self-empty, and the more earn- 
estly we are desirous of spiritual things, 
the more abundantly we shall be filled. 
(Matt. v. 6.) 

A CHRISTIAN in this world is but 
gold in the ore : at death the pure 
644 



gold is melted out and separated, and the 
dross cast away and consumed. 

GREAT PRINCIPLES. 

LOVE to God, charity to man, purity 
and humility are the highest perfec- 
tions that either men or angels are capa- 
ble of, the very foundation of heaven laid 
in the soul; and he who hath attained 
them needs not desire to pry into the hid- 
den rolls of God's decrees, or search the 
volumes of heaven, to know what is de- 
termined about his everlasting condition; 
but he may find a copy of God's thoughts 
concerning him written in his own breast. 

EXTRACT'S FROM LETTER OF THE REV. MR. 

N . 

OUR views of death will not always be 
alike, but in proportion to the degree 
in which the Holy Spirit is pleased to im- 
part his sensible influence. We may an- 
ticipate the moment of dissolution with 
pleasure, and desire it in the morning, and 
be ready to shrink from the thought of it 
before night. But though our frames and 
perceptions vary, the report of faith con- 
645 



cerning it is the same. Our Lord usually 
reserves dying strength for a dying hour. 
When Israel was to pass Jordan, the ark 
was in the river ; and, though the rear of 
the host could not see it, yet, as they suc- 
cessively came forward and approached 
the banks, they all beheld the ark, and 
all went safely over. 

As you are not weary of living, if it be 
the Lord's pleasure, so I hope, for the 
sake of your friends and the people whom 
you love, that he will still spare you ; but 
when the time shall arrive which he has 
appointed for your dismission, I make no 
doubt but he will overpower all your fears, 
silence all your enemies, and give you a 
comfortable, triumphant entrance into his 
kindom. You have nothing to fear from 
death ; for Christ, by dying, has disarmed 
it of its sting, has perfumed the grave, and 
opened the gates of glory for his believing 
people. Satan, so far as he is permitted, 
will assault our peace ; but he is a van- 
quished enemy ; our Lord holds him in a 
chain, and sets him bounds which he can- 
not pass. He provides for us likewise the 
646 



whole armor of God, and has promised to 
cover our heads himself in the day of bat- 
tle, to bring us honorably through every 
skirmish, and to make us more than con- 
querors at last. 

MODERATION is the silken string 
running through the pearl chain of all 
virtues. — Fuller. 

MODESTY is to merit, as shades to 
figures in a picture, giving it strength 
and beauty. — Bruyere. 

DEVOTION. 

THE most illiterate man who is touched 
with devotion, and uses frequent ex- 
ercises of it, contracts a certain greatness 
of mind, mingled with a noble simplicity, 
that raises him above those of the same 
condition. It is hardly possible it should 
be otherwise ; for the fervors of a pious 
mind will naturally contract such an earn- 
estness and attention towards a better be- 
ing, as will make the ordinary passages of 
life go off with becoming indifference. By 
this, a man in the lowest condition will 
647 



not appear mean, or in the most splendid 
fortune insolvent. — Johnson. 

HEAVEN tries our virtues by affliction ; 
As oft the cloud that wraps the present 
hour 
Serves but to lighten all our future days. 

— Brown. 
THE PRESENT STATE. 

WE are now in a state of penance, as 
well as in a state of trial and pro- 
bation, and must therefore not anticipate 
our reward here, but be exercised with 
vanity and dissatisfaction, which is that 
sore travail that God has laid upon the 
sons of Adam, who, though heirs of glory 
and born to crowns and sceptres in the 
other world, must yet inherit only dreams, 
shadows, and vanities in this, wherein all 
that cometh is vanity. There is no con- 
tent to be found in any of the enjoyments 
of this world : let a man's share of it or 
state in it be what it will, it is all but a 
union of ciphers, a collection of nothing, 
not worth a thought, or a wish, or a tear. 
Only in religio?i, and the conscientious dis- 
charge of one's duty, and the practice of a 
648 



good life, there is some real content and 
true satisfaction to be had ; and the more 
we improve in goodness, the more happy 
and comfortable will our lives be. 

TRUE KNOWLEDGE. 

LET no man be dejected at the want 
of those gifts with which unsanctified 
men are adorned. If God hath taught 
thee the evil of sin, the worth of Christ, 
the necessity of regeneration, the mys- 
tery of faith, the way of communion 
with God in duties, trouble not thyself be- 
cause of thine ignorance in natural or 
moral things : thou hast that which will 
bring thee to heaven. 

WARNING. 

WHO would not be a believer in 
Christ? Who would not be at 
peace with God? When such are the 
privileges of righteousness, the privileges 
through life, the privileges in death, the 
wonder is that all are not eager to close 
with the offers of the gospel and make 
those privileges their own. Yet, alas ! the 
ministers of Christ have to exclaim with 
649 



the prophet, " Who hath believed our re- 
port ?" and with Elihu, " None saith, 
Where is God my Maker, who giveth 
songs in the night ?" There may yet be 
moral insensibility in some now addressed. 
What shall we say to them ? They may 
have youth on their side, and health and 
plenty. The sky may be clear, and the 
voice of joy may be heard in their dwell- 
ing. But there must come a night, a 
dreary and oppressive night; for youth 
must depart, and strength be enfeebled, 
and sorrow encountered, and the shadows 
of evening fall upon the path. And what 
will they do then, if now, as God com- 
plains by his prophet, " the harp and the 
viol, the tabret and pipe, and wine are in 
their feasts ; but they regard not the work 
of the Lord, neither consider the operation 
of his hands ?" They may have their song 
now ; but then we shall have only the bit- 
ter exclamation, " The harvest is passed, 
the summer is ended, and we are not 
saved." 

We warn you in time. Though the fir- 
mament be bright, we show you the cloud, 
650 



small as a man's hand, already rising from 
the sea ; and we urge you to the breaking 
loose from habits of sin, and fleeing 
straightway to the Mediator, Christ. It 
is for bawbles which they despise when 
acquired, wealth which they count nothing 
when gained, gratifications which they 
loathe so soon as passed, that men 
sell their souls. And all that we now en- 
treat of the young is, that they will not, 
in the spring time of life, strike this foul 
bargain. In the name of Him who made 
you, we beseech you to separate your- 
selves at once from evil practices and evil 
associates, lest in that darkest of all dark- 
ness, when the sun is to be " black as 
sackcloth of hair," and the moon as blood, 
and the stars are to fall, you may utter 
nothing but the passionate cry of despair, 
whilst the righteous are lifting up their 
heads with joy, and proving that they have 
trusted in a God " who giveth songs in the 
night." — Melvill. 



651 



CHRISTIAN CHARITY. 

LET the love of your brethren be as a 
fire within you, consuming that sel- 
fishness that is so contrary to it and is so 
natural to men • let it set your thoughts on 
work to study how to do others good ; let 
your love be an active love, intense with- 
in you, and extending itself in doing good 
to the souls and bodies of your brethren 
as they need and you are able. — Leighton. 

HE who increases the endearments of 
life, increases at the same time the 
terrors of death. — Young. 

THE greatest part of mankind employ 
their first years to make their last 
miserable. 

THE million covet wealth ; but how 
few dream of its perils ! Few are 
aware of the extent to which it ministers 
to the baser passions of our nature ; of 
the selfishness it engenders ; the arrogance 
which it feeds ; the self-scrutiny which it 
inspires; the damage which it does to all 
the nobler feelings and holier aspirations 
of the heart. 

652 



WHAT we are afraid to do before men, 
we should be afraid to think before 
God. 

THE prospect of a future state is the 
secret comfort and refreshment of my 
soul ; it is that which makes nature look 
gay about me ; it doubles all my pleasures 
and supports me under all my afflictions. 
I can look at disappointments and misfor- 
tunes, pain and sickness, death itself, and, 
what is worse than death, the loss of those 
who are dearest to me, with indifference, 
so long as I keep in view the pleasures of 
eternity and the state of being in which 
there will be no fears nor apprehensions, 
pains nor sorrows, sickness nor separation. 
- — Addison. 

'l^HOUGH our life be short anduncer- 
1 tain, says Archbishop Tillotson, yet 
it is a great deal that we may do by way 
of preparation for another world if we be- 
gin and set out betimes and be good hus- 
bands of the present opportunities. It is 
a great way that we may go in a short 
time if we be always moving and pressing 
653 



forward. But the mischief is, many per- 
sons pass fifty or sixty years in the world, 
and when they are just going out of it 
they bethink themselves, and step back, 
as it were, to do something which they 
had all this while forgot ; namely, the 
main business for which they came into 
the world — to repent of their sins, and re- 
form their lives, and make their peace 
with God, and in time to prepare for eter- 
nity. This, which is forgotten and de- 
ferred to the last, ought to have been first 
thought of, and to have been made the 
great business of their whole lives. 

HOW great and honorable is the privi- 
lege of a true believer ! Though 
weak as a worm, his arms are strength- 
ened by the mighty God of Jacob, and all 
things become possible, yea, easy, to him 
that occur within the compass of his pro- 
per duty and calling. God engages to pro- 
portion his grace to his need of it, wheth- 
er it be a day of service or of suffering ; 
and though he be fallible and short-sight- 
ed, exceeding liable to mistake and impo- 
654 



sition, yet while he retains a sense that he 
is so, and with the simplicity of a child 
asks counsel and direction of God, he sel- 
dom takes a wrong step ; and even his in- 
advertencies are overruled for good. If 
he forgets his true state and thinks him- 
self to be something, he presently finds he 
is indeed nothing ; but if he is content to 
be nothing and to have nothing, he is sure 
to find a seasonable and abundant com- 
munication of all that he wants. Thus 
he lives, like Israel in the wilderness, upon 
mere bounty, but then it is a bounty un- 
changeable, unwearied, inexhaustible, and 
all-sufficient. 

DEATH BEFORE LIFE. 

AS we die to nature ere we live in glory, 
so we must die to sin ere we can live 
to grace. 

PRAYER. 

AS my greatest business is for God, to 
serve him, so my daily business is 
with God, to ask him for strength to do it. 

TO complain that life has no joys while 
there is a single creature whom we 
655 



can relieve by our bounty, assist by our 
counsels, or enliven by our presence, is to 
lament the loss of that which we possess, 
and is just as rational as to die of thirst 
with the cup in our hands. 

IT is difficult to conceive any thing more 
beautiful than the reply given by one 
in affliction when he was asked how he 
bore it so well. " It lightens the stroke," 
said he, "to draw near to Him who 
handles the rod." 

THE lofty mountain of virtue is of quite 
a contrary make to all other moun- 
tains. In the mountains of the earth the 
skirts are pleasant, but the tops rough; 
whereas the skirt of the ^mountain of vir- 
tue is harsh, but the top delicious. He 
who studies to come at it meets in his 
first step nothing but stones, briers, and 
thistles i but the roughness of the way di- 
minishes as he proceeds in his journey, 
and the pleasure of it increases, until at 
length on the top he finds nothing but 
beautiful flowers, choice plants, aud crys- 
tal fountains. — Tillotson. 
656 



THE certainty that life cannot be long, 
and the probability that it will be much 
shorter than nature allows, ought to waken 
every one to the active prosecution of 
whatever he is desirous to perform. It is 
true, that no diligence can insure success ; 
death may intercept the swiftest career ; 
but he who is cut off in the execution of 
an honest undertaking has, at least, the 
honor of falling in his rank, and has fought 
the battle, though he missed the victory. 
— Johnson. 

MYSTERY. 

MOST men take least notice of what is 
plain, as if that were of no use ; but 
puzzle their thoughts and lose themselves 
in those vast depths and abysses which no 
human understanding can fathom. — Sher- 
lock. 

OUR raz/blessings, says Addison, often 
appear to us in the shape of pains, 
losses, and disappointments ; but let us 
have patience, and we soon shall see them 
in their proper figures. 

657 



THE assurance that this is a state of 
probation, should give vigor to virtue 
and solemnity to truth. Every hour as- 
sumes a fearful responsibility when we 
view it as the cultererof an immortal har- 
vest. — Sigourney. 

PROPERTY left to a child may soon 
be lost ; but the inheritance of virtue, 
cfgood name, an unblemished reputation, 
will abide forever. If those who are toil- 
ing for wealth to leave their children 
would but take half the pains to secure for 
them virtuous habits, how much more ser- 
viceable would they be ! The largest 
property may be wrested from a child ; 
but virtue will stand by him to the last. 

THE contemplation of the divine Being 
and the exercise of virtue are, in their 
nature, so far from excluding all gladness 
of heart that they are perpetual sources of 
it. In a word, the true spirit of religion 
cheers as well as composes the soul. It 
banishes, indeed, all levity of behavior, all 
vicious and dissolute mirth, but, in ex- 
change, fills the mind with perpetual se- 
658 



renity, uninterrupted cheerfulness, and an 
habitual inclination to please others as 
well as to be pleased in itself. — Spectator. 

OF what unspeakable importance is her 
education who gives lessons before 
any other instructor ; who fire-occufiies the 
unwritten page of being ; who produces 
impressions which death only can obliter- 
ate, and mingles in the cradle dream what 
shall be read in eternity ! 



THE greatness of our trials should be 
estimated rather by the impression 
they make upon our spirits than by their 
outward appearance. The smallest will 
be too heavy for us if we are left to grap- 
ple with it in our own strength, or rather 
weakness ; and if God is pleased to put 
forth his power, he can make the heaviest 
light. A lively impression of his love, or 
of our Savior's sufferings for us, or of the 
glories within the veil, accompanied with 
a due sense of the misery from which we 
are redeemed, — these thoughts will enable 
659 



us to be not only submissive, but even 
joyful, in tribulations. 

When faith is in exercise, though the 
flesh will have its feelings, the spirit will 
triumph over them. But it is needful 
that we should know that we have no 
sufficiency in ourselves ; and, in order to 
know it, we must feel it ; and therefore 
God sometimes withdraws his sensible in- 
fluence, and then the buzzing of a fly will 
be an overmatch for our patience ; at 
other times he will show what he can 
do in us, and for us ; and then we can say 
in the apostle's words, " I can do and 
suffer all things through Christ strengthen- 
ing me." He has said, " My grace is 
sufficient for thee." It is observed that 
the children of God seldom disappoint our 
expectations under great trials; if they 
show a wrongness of spirit, it is usually in 
such little incidents that we are ready to 
wonder at them, for which two reasons 
may be readily assigned. When great 
trials are in view we repair immediately to 
our all-sufficient Friend, feel our depend- 
ence, and pray earnestly for help ; but if 
660 



the occasion seems small, we are too apt 
to secretly lean to our own wisdom and 
strength, as if in such slight matters we 
could act effectually wiihout his aid. 
Therefore in these we often fail. 

VALUE OF TIME. 

Throw years away ? 

Throw empires, and be blameless. Moments 

seize. 
Heaven's on the wing : a moment we may 

wish 
When worlds want wealth to buy. 

THE LAW. 

TO preach up justification by the law 
as a covenant is legal, and makes void 
the death and merits of Christ; but to 
preach obedience to the law as a rule is 
evangelical ; and it savors as much of a 
New Testament spirit, as they phrase it, 
to urge the commands of the law as to 
display the promises of the gospel. Our 
obedience to it is the only sound evidence 
we can have for our right to the promises 
of the gospel ; and without a universal 
obedience in the whole course of our lives, 
all our joys and comforts, and expecta- 
661 



tions of heaven are but splendid delusions 
and enthusiastical dreams. 

JUSTIFICATION. 

SOME men will speak of being justified 
by faith till they come to ascribe mer- 
it to faith. " By faith " is interpreted as 
though it meant on account of faith ; and 
thus the great truth is lost sight of, that 
we are justified freely " through the re- 
demption that is in Christ." But how can 
faith be a meritorious act ? What is faith 
but such an assent of the understanding to 
God's word as binds the heart to God's 
service ? And whose is the understanding, 
if it be not God's? Whose is the heart if 
it be not God's ? And if faith be nothing 
but the rendering to God that intellect and 
that energy which we have received from 
him how can faith deserve of God? O, as 
with repentance, so with faith. Away 
with the notion of merit ! He who be- 
lieves so that he can dare the grave and 
grasp eternity must pour forth the con- 
fession, " All things come of thee ; and of 
thine own, O God, do I give thee." — 
MelvilL 

662 



THK cross, once seen, is death to every vice ! 
Else He that hung there suffered all his 
pain, 
Bled, groaned, and agonized and died, in vain. 

HERE is no mind truly good but that 
wherein Christ dwells. 



T 



CHRISTIAN, the more eminent thy 
graces are, the more need hast thou 
to pray and strive for humility. The tall- 
est cedars have need of the deepest roots, 
otherwise the storms and winds will easily 
overturn them; so truly, the higher any 
grow, the more they spread and flourish. 
Being like the cedars of God, beautiful 
in their leaves and plentiful in their sap, 
the more need they have to be rooted in 
humility ; or else, believe it, the wind and 
tempest of temptations, to which they 
stand more exposed than others, will not 
only sorely shake them, but utterly over- 
turn them ; when those whom they des- 
pise as mean shrubs shall stand secure, 
and with a tender pity weep over their 
fall. 

663 



THE doctrine of the crucifixion is em- 
inently the power of God ; because 
it is the only doctrine which, being ac- 
companied by the Holy Spirit, changes 
the heart, overcomes the customs and pre- 
judices and lusts of men, brings them to 
repentance for sin, and to faith in the 
atonement of Christ for pardon and jus- 
tification ; which sanctifies and purifies 
the affections of life, produces the real 
love of God, consoles and supports us un- 
der trouble, strengthens us under fears 
and weaknesses, and carries us undis- 
mayed through the terrors of death. 
Every true Christian is crucified with 
Christ, and has the power of Christ rest- 
ing upon him. They know the power of 

THE CROSS IN ITS ACTUAL INFLUENCE ON 

their hearts and lives. And this influ- 
ence is the most astonishing power of its 
virtue. 

IT is an important fact, that for many 
years the Moravian missionaries had 
labored in Greenland, but all to no pur- 
pose. They began by instructing the ig- 
664 



norant natives in the principles of natural 
religion — the existence of a God — the 
creation of the world— the government of 
all things by a providence ; but no success 
attended their efforts. All was vain till 
they came to speak of Christ : then their 
attention was arrested, and the first tear 
was seen to trickle down their cheeks ; 
and then, for the first time, their hearts, 
which before were cold as the snows on 
which they trod, were warmed with the 
rays of divine love ; and at the sight of a 
crucified Redeemer there then arose amidst 
the icy mountains of Greenland to the 
throne of God the song of " Moses and 
the Lamb." Yes, Christ crucified is the 
power of God unto Salvation. 

afflictions. 

THE gospel of Christ does not promise 
to its followers any exemption from 
the calamities of life. It promises us 
happiness in heaven and many joys in 
the road which leads to it \ but at the 
same time it plainly tells us that this road 
is a path of trial. All the saints are in- 
665 



deed described as rejoicing ; but then they 
are said to be " rejoicing in tribulation." 
Their nearness to God has neither re- 
moved calamity from them nor blunted 
their feelings when smarting under it. 
Who then, are we, that some special ex- 
emption should be made in our favor? 
David, and Paul, and every other saint 
have drank of the cup of sorrow; why, 
then, should we expect that it should be 
withheld from our lips ? Have we de- 
served it less than they, or do we need it 
less? Have we fewer sins to be subdued, 
less pride, less self-dependence, less earth- 
ly mindedness to be rooted out ? Tribu- 
lation is the portion of all, and it must be 
ours also. Our Savior tells us so. " In 
the world," says he, " ye shall have tribula- 
tion." Let us, then, prepare to meet our 
trials ; and not only so, but to welcome 
them with joy. They are designed to 
help us forward in our course, to lead us 
on in the road which will conduct us to 
heaven and to prepare us for it. " Our 
light affliction," says one who experienced 
much severer trials than ever fell to the 
666 



lot of any of us, — "our light affliction, 
which is but for a moment, worketh for us 
a far more exceeding and eternal weight 
of glory." 

IN all afflictions, labor to think well of 
God and ill of yourselves. 

TAKE all afflictions as tokens of God's 
love to thee and trials of thy love to 
him, and purposes of kindness to enrich 
thee and to increase more plentifully in 
thee his blessed gifts and spiritual graces. 

HOPE. 

WHAT would the life of man be with- 
out hope ? Remove it and you 
take away at once the relish of prosperity 
and the support and solace of adversity. 
Let the tide of prosperity run ever so high 
and flow with unebbing fulness ever so 
long, if the hope of its continuance be de- 
stroyed it is instantly deprived of all its 
power to satisfy. Let the prosperous man 
be certainly assured that his prosperity is 
to last but one day longer, — that at the 
close of so short a time its springs are to 
be dried up, and he is to be left in all the 
667 



dreariness of universal desolation, — would 
that day, think you, be enjoyed by him ? 
No ; the extinction of hope would be the 
extinction of joy. And O, what would 
adversity be without hope ? This is the 
last lingering light of the human bosom 
that continues to shine when every other 
has been extinguished. Quench it, and 
the gloom of affliction becomes the very 
blackness of darkness — cheerless and im- 
penetrable. 



THE disposition to give without the abili- 
ty is received by God according to what 
a man hath, and not according to what he 
hath not. If our hearts be inspired with 
true charity, then, though we give but a 
crust of bread or the widow's mite, it is 
accepted of God, and is more in propor- 
tion to a poor individual than the gifts of 
the most opulent on earth. * * * If there 
is one object more than another that calls 
for the profoundest pity, it is not the poor 
man who has the heart but not the hand 
to give, but it is the rich man who has the 
668 



hand to give but not the heart. He is the 
poor man — poor in the sight of angels, 
poor in the eyes of God, poor for eternity. 

TIME AND ETERNITY. 

SUPPOSING the body of the earth 
were a great mass, or ball, of the finest 
sand, and that a single grain, or particle, 
of this sand should be annihilated every 
thousand years ; supposing, then, that you 
had it in your choice to be happy all the 
while this prodigious mass of sand was 
consuming by this slow method, until 
there was not a grain of it left, on condition 
you were to be miserable forever after • 
or, supposing that you might be happy 
forever after, on condition that you should 
be miserable until the whole mass of sand 
were thus annihilated, at the rate of one 
sand in a thousand years, — which of these 
two cases would you make your choice ? 
— Spectator. 

F)ART with time as with money, sparing ; 
I pay 

No moment but in purchase of its worth ; 
And what its worth, ask death beds ; they can 
tell. 

669 



THE glorified spirit of the infant is as 
a star to guide the mother to its own 
blissful clime. — Sigourney. 

PHILANTHROPY. 

Who will not give 

Some portion of his ease, his time, his wealth, 
For others' good, is a poor frozen churl. 

—J. Baillie. 

A WISE and due consideration of our 
latter end is neither to render us sad, 
melancholy, disconsolate, or unfit for the 
business and offices of life ; but to make 
us more watchful, vigilant, industrious, 
sober, cheerful, and thankful to that God 
who hath been pleased to thus make us 
serviceable to him, comfortable to our- 
selves, and profitable to others ; and, after 
all this, to take away the bitterness and 
sting of death, through Jesus Christ our 
Lord.— Sir M. Hale. 



IF we did but know how little some en- 
joy of the great things they possess, 
there would not be much envy in the 
world. 

670 



A SURE effect of grace (says the Rev. 
Mr. Newton, in a letter to a friend) is 
a desire and longing for gospel ordinances; 
and when they are afforded they cannot 
be neglected without loss. But our Savior 
sees many souls who are dear to him, and 
whom he is training up in a growing meet- 
ness for his kingdom, who are by his 
providence so situated that it is not in 
their power to attend on his public ordi- 
nances. Such a situation is a state of 
trial ; but Christ is all-sufficient, and he is 
always near. They cannot be debarred 
from his throne of grace ; for, in respect 
to them, he is ever near at hand. The 
chief difference between us and the disci- 
ples when our Savior was upon the earth, 
is this — they then walked by sight, and we 
are called to walk by faith. They could 
see him with their bodily eyes ; we can- 
not; but he said before he left them, " It 
is expedient for you that I go away." 
How could this be, unless that spiritual 
communion which he promised to main- 
tain with his people after his ascension 
were preferable to that intercourse he al- 
671 



lowed them whilst he was visibly with 
them ? But we are sure it is preferable ; 
and they who had tried both were well 
satisfied he had made good his promise ; 
so that, though they had known him after 
the flesh, they were content not to know 
him so any more. Yes ; though we can- 
not see him, he sees us ; he is nearer to us 
than we are to ourselves. In a natural 
state, we have very dark and dishonorable 
thoughts of God; we conceive of him at 
a distance; but when the heart is 
awakened we begin to make Jacob's re- 
flection, " Surely the Lord is in this place, 
and I knew it not." * * * And God 
is made known to us by the gospel in the 
endearing views of a Savior, a Shepherd, 
a Husband, a Friend ; and a way of ac- 
cess is opened for us through the veil, 
that is, the human nature of our Redeem- 
er, to enter with humble confidence into 
the holiest of all, and to repose all our 
cares and concerns upon the strength of 
that everlasting arm which upholds heav- 
en and earth, and upon that infinite love 
which submitted to the shame, pain, and 
672 



death of the cross, to redeem sinners 
from wrath and misery. 

The doubts and fears you speak of are, 
in a greater or less degree, the common 
experience of all Christians, at least for a 
time. Whilst any unbelief remains in the 
heart, and Satan is permitted to tempt, 
we shall feel these things. In themselves 
they are groundless and evil; yet God 
permits and overrules them for good. 
They tend to make us know the plagaes 
of oar own hearts, and feel more sensibly 
the need of a Savior, and make his rest 
(when we attain it) doubly sweet and sure. 
And they likewise qualify us for pitying 
and comforting others. Fear not ; only 
believe, wait, and pray. 

OUR gracious Savior has engaged to 
keep and uphold his true disciples. 
He will communicate all needful supplies 
to them, yet in such a manner that they 
shall feel their need and weakness, and 
have nothing to boast of from first to 
last but his wisdom, compassion and care. 
They are in no worse circumstances than 
673 



the apostle Paul, who, though eminent 
and exemplary in the Christian life, found 
and freely confessed that he had no 
sufficiency in himself to think a good 
thought. Nor did he wish it other- 
wise; he even gloried in his infirmities, 
that the power of Christ might rest 
upon him. Unbelief and a thousand evils 
are still in our hearts ; though their do- 
minion is at an end, they are not eradi- 
cated ; their effects will be felt more or 
less sensibly as Christ is pleased more or 
less to afford or abate his gracious influ- 
ences. When they are kept down we are 
no better in ourselves, for they are not 
kept down by us ; but we are very prone 
to think better of ourselves at such a 
time ; and therefore he is pleased to per- 
mit us at seasons to feel a difference, that 
we may never forget how weak and how 
vile we are. We cannot absolutely con- 
quer these evils ; but it becomes us to be 
humbled for them ; and we are to fight, 
and strive, and pray against them. * * * 
It is our duty to stand upon the field of 
battle ; to face the fiery darts of the ene- 
674 



my, and to manfully wrestle with them. 
Nor can we well expect to wholly escape 
wounds : but the leaves of the tree of life 
are provided for our healing ■ and for our 
encouragement we are assured that, in the 
end, we shall be more than conquerors 
through Him who has loved us and died 
for us. 

THE SOUL. 

WE may compare the soul to a linen 
cloth : it must be first washed to 
take off its native hue and color and to 
make it white ; and afterwards it must be 
ever and anon washed to preserve and to 
keep it white. — South. 

HUMILITY, that low, sweet root, 
From which all heavenly virtues shoot. 

— Moore. 

PLEASURE. 

THERE is little pleasure in the world 
that is true and sincere besides the 
"pleasure of doing our duty and doing 
good. I am sure no other is comparable 
to this. — Tillotson. 

675 



GREAT minds, like heaven, are pleased in 
doing good, 
Though the ungrateful subjects of their favors 
Are barren in return. 

HAPPINESS FOUND ONLY IN GOD. 

THERE is nothing substantial and sat- 
isfactory but the Supreme Good : in 
it, the deeper we go, and the more 
largely we drink, the better and happier 
we are ; whereas, in outward acquire- 
ments, if we could attain to the summit 
and perfection of them, the very posses- 
sion with the enjoyment palls. — Lang- 
home. 

TIME is the warp of life. O, tell 
The young, the fair, the gay to weave it 
well. 

NOVELS AND ROMANCES. 

NO habitual reader of novels can love 
the Bible, nor any other book that 
demands thought or inculcates the serious 
duties of life. He dwells in a region of * 
imagination, where he is disgusted with 
the plainness and simplicity of truth, with 
the sober realities that demand his atten- 
676 



tion as a rational and immortal being and 
an accountable subject of God's govern- 
ment. 

Providence 

Extends its views to all— from rolling worlds 
To falling sparrows. All events it guides, 
Controls, o'errules, educing still God's glory 
And the highest good of all that trust him. 

— Edwards. 

VANITY OF LIFE. 

THE vanity of human life is like a 
river — constantly passing away, and 
yet constantly coming on. — Pope. 



HEAVEN hath many tongues to talk 
of it, more eyes to behold it, but few 
hearts that rightly atfect it. — Bishop Hall. 

ATTRACTIONS OF HEAVEN. 

MY gems are falling away; but it is be- 
cause God is making up his jewels. 
— Wolfe. 

FICTION. 

MANY works of fiction may be read 
with safety — some even with profit \ 
but the constant familiarity even with 
677 



such as are not exceptionable in them- 
selves relaxes the mind, which needs har- 
dening ; dissolves the heart, which wants 
fortifying; stirs the imagination, which 
wants quieting; irritates the passions, 
which want calming ; and, above all, dis- 
inclines and disqualifies for active virtues 
and for spiritual exercises. Though all 
these books may not be wicked, yet the 
habitual indulgence in such reading is a 
silent mining mischief. Though there is 
no act and no moment in which any open 
assault on the mind is made, yet the con- 
stant habit performs the work of a mental 
atrophy — it produces all the symptoms of 
decay ; and the danger is not less for be- 
ing more gradual, and therefore less sus- 
pected. — Hannah More. 

AS the sword of the best-tempered metal 
is most flexible, so the truly generous 
are most pliant and courteous in their be- 
havior to their inferiors. — Fuller. 

FEARFUL DOOM OF THE WICKED. 

IT were comparatively little to say of an 
individual who sells himself to work 

678 



evil, and carries it with a high hand and a 
brazen front against the Lord of the whole 
earth, that he shuts himself up to a cer- 
tain and definite destruction. The thrill- 
ing truth is, that, in working iniquity, he 
sows for himself anguish. He gives not 
way to a new desire, he allows not a fresh 
victory to lust, without multiplying the 
amount of final torment. By every ex- 
cursion of passion, and by every indul- 
gence of an unhallowed craving, and by 
all the misdoings of a hardened or disso- 
lute life he may be literally said to pour 
into the granary of his future destinies the 
goads and stings which shall madden his 
spirit. He lays up more food for self-re- 
proach. He widens the field over which 
thought will pass in bitterness and mow 
down remorse. He teaches the worm to 
be ingenious in excruciating, by tasking 
his wit that he may be ingenious in sin- 
ning ; for some men, as the prophet saith, 
— and it is a wonderful expression, — " are 
wise to do evil." And thus his iniquities 
opening, as it were, fresh inlets fur the 
approaches of vengeance, with the growth 
679 



of wickedness will be the growth of pun- 
ishment ; and at last it will appear that his 
resistance to convictions, his neglect of 
opportunities, and his determined enslave- 
ment to evil have literally worked for him 
" afarmore exceeding and eternal weight" 
of despair. 

DEATH OF A WORLDLING — THE LATE BEAU 
NASH. 

" T WAS not long since," writes Mr. 
1 Hervey, "called upon to visit a poor 
gentleman who was formerly of the most 
robust body and gayest temper I ever 
knew. But when I visited him, O how was 
the glory departed from him ! I found 
him no more that sprightly and vivacious 
son of joy which he used to be ; but lan- 
guishing, pining away, and withering un- 
der the chastening hand of God. His limbs 
were feeble and trembling, his counten- 
ance forlorn and ghastly, and the little 
breath he had left was sobbed out in sor- 
rowful sighs. His body was hastening 
apace to the dust, to lodge in the silent 
grave — the land of darkness and desola- 
680 



tion. His soul was just going to God 
who gave it, and preparing to wing itself 
away unto its long home, to enter upon 
an unchangeable and eternal state. When 
I was come up into his chamber and had 
seated myself on his bed, he first cast a 
most wishful look at me, and then began, 
as well as he was able, to speak, " ' O that 
I had been wise, that I had known this, 
that I had considered my latter end !' 
Ah, sir, death is knocking at my doors: 
in a few hours more I shall draw my last 
gasp; and then judgment — the tremen- 
dous judgment. How shall I appear, un- 
prepared as I am, before the all-knowing 
and omnipotent God ? How shall I en- 
dure the day of his coming ?' When I 
mentioned, among many other things, that 
strict holiness which he had formerly so 
slightly esteemed, he replied, with a hasty 
eagerness, ' O, that holiness is the only 
thing I now long for. I have not words 
to tell you how highly I value it. I would 
gladly part with all my estate, large as it 
is, or a world, to obtain it. Now my be- 
nighted eyes are enlightened; I clearly 
681 



discern the things that are excellent. 
What is there in the place whither I am 
going but God ? Or what is there to be 
desired upon earth but religion ?' 

" *. But should you be restored to health,' 
said Mr. H., 'do you think you would 
alter your former course ?' 

" ' I call heaven and earth to witness,' 
said he, ' I would labor for holiness as I 
shall soon labor for life. As for riches, 
and pleasures, and applauses of men, I 
count them as dross and dung — no more 
to my happiness than the feathers that lie 
on the floor. O, if the righteons Judge 
would try me once more, if he would but 
reprieve and spare me a little longer, in 
what a spirit would I spend the remainder 
of my days ! I would know no other 
business, aim at no other end, than per- 
fecting myself in holiness. Whatever 
contributed to that — every means of 
grace, every opportunity of spiritual im- 
provement — should be dearer to me than 
thousands of gold and silver. But, alas ! 
why do T amuse myself with fond imagi- 
nations ? The best resolutions are now 
682 



insignificant, because they are too late. 
The day in which I should have worked is 
over and gone ; and I see a sad, horrible 
night approaching, bringing with it the 
blackness of darkness forever. Hereto- 
fore, — woe is me ! — when God called, I 
refused ; when he invited, I was one of 
them that made excuse. Now, therefore, 
I receive the reward of my deeds — fear- 
fulness and trembling are come upon me. 
I smart and am in sore anguish already ; 
and yet this is but the beginning of sor- 
rows. It doth not yet appear what I shall 
be ; but surely I shall be ruined, undone, 
and destroyed with an everlasting destruc- 
tion/ 

" This sad scene," says Mr. H., I saw 
with mine eyes ; these words, and many 
more equally affecting, I heard with mine 
ears ; and soon after attended the unhap- 
py man to his tomb." 



WE beseech you that ye strive, through 
God's grace, to give yourself to the 
business of putting off the old man. Will 
683 



ye affirm that ye believe there is a heaven, 
and yet act as though persuaded that it is 
not worth striving for ? Believe, only be- 
lieve, that a day of coronation is yet to 
break on this long-darkened globe, and 
the sinews will be strung like those of the 
wrestlers of old, who saw the garlands in 
the judge's hands, and locked themselves 
in an iron embrace. Strive — for the grasp 
of a destroyer is upon you ; and if ye be 
not wrenched away, it will palsy you, and 
crush you. Strive — for the foe is on the 
right hand, on the left hand, before you, 
behind you , and ye must be trampled 
under foot, if ye struggle not, and strike 
not, as those who feel themselves bound 
in a death grapple. Strive — there is a 
crown to be won: the mines of the earth 
have not furnished its metal, and the 
depth of the sea hide nothing so radiant 
as the jewels with which it is wreathed. 
Strive — for, if ye gain not this crown, 
alas ! alas ! ye must have the scorpions 
forever round the forehead, and the cir- 
cles of that flame which is fanned by the 
breath of the Almighty's displeasure. 
684 



Strive, then ; but strive in the strength 
of your risen Lord and not in your own. 
Ye know not how soon that Lord may 
come. Whilst the sun walks his usual 
path on the firmament, and the grass is 
springing in our fields, and merchants are 
crowding the exchange, and politicians 
jostling for place, and the voluptuous kill- 
ing time, and the avaricious counting 
gold, " the sign of the Son of man" shall 
be seen in the heavens, and the august 
throne of fire and of cloud be piled for 
judgment. 

THE charities that are designed to in- 
struct the ignorant, to illuminate the 
mind, to convey the truth of the divine 
word home to the conscience, — in a word, 
the charity that has to do with the soul 
and its eternal interests,— as far transcends 
the charity which has reference to the 
body alone, as eternity transcends time 
and the deathless spirit outweighs the 
tenement that it inhabits. 

THE basis of virtue must be piety ; the 
resources, the consolations, the re- 
685 



wards of piety are in a future life. What- 
ever disqualifies us for the contemplation 
of God, of heaven, and eternity, obliterates 
the moral sense, and gives us up entirely 
to the dominion of our passions and appe- 
tites j the pleasures of the world, its in- 
snaring vanities, have, more than a?iy thing 
besides, this fatal influence. When once 
they take possession of the heart, they 
alienate the thoughts from God and unfit 
us for his service. 

THE THEATRE. 

THIS is the very school of the world, 
where it inculcates its principles and 
enforces its maxims, aided by every thing 
that can captivate the imagination and in- 
terest the heart. This is perhaps the 
most subtle and decided enemy of reli- 
gion, and commits dreadful ravages 
among the youth of great and populous 
cities. Contrast the spirit of the stage 
with the spirit of the gospel : the one is 
all levity, giddiness and folly ; the other 
sober, calm, and wise. The exerting in- 
fluence of the gospel is to raise those 
686 



thoughts, sentiments, and affections which 
promote the true dignity of man and se- 
cure his best and eternal interests. Thus 
it leads to devout and holy reflections on 
the character of God; it leads us to 
choose virtue, to reject vice ; it inspires 
in the one sex the love of peace, in the 
other the love of modesty. It subdues 
and promises finally to eradicate the evil 
that is in the human passions, to render 
feeling subservient to reason, and reason 
obedient to revelation. The stage, on 
the contrary, violates the dignity of the 
Most High, by taking his name in vain, 
by scoffing at his laws, and by impugning 
his authority. It dethrones the true God, 
and sets up an idol in his place ; it makes 
virtue and vice convertible terms; it 
cherishes all the irascible and malignant 
passions; it is the very hot bed of vice 
and sensuality, " the stronghold of the god 
of this world, the vestibule of destruc- 
tion." Snares are laid for the eye, the 
ear, the imagination, and the heart ; the 
company, the spectators, the music, the 
sentiments have all a simultaneous ten- 
687 



dency — they seek to throw down the bar- 
riers of virtue and to lay waste the excel- 
lence of human character. 

FASHIONABLE AMUSEMENTS. 

PUBLIC balls and routs are anti- 
Christian, on account of the inter- 
course which must be maintained with 
persons of light character and no religion 
— on account of their influence in sensu- 
alizing the passions and demoralizing the 
heart. Nor is there any thing to be de- 
scribed more opposite to the spirit of 
Christianity, more incompatible with the 
duties it requires, and the domestic order 
which is essential to a constant profession 
of it, than midnight parties, where time 
and health are miserably wasted without 
the slightest compensation in return. 
There is no tyrant more capricious, and at 
the same lime, more cruel than Fashion. 
Her votaries are slaves oi the most pitia- 
ble description, whether we consider what 
they are forced to renounce or compelled 
to endure ; and such cannot reasonably 
expect to inherit the rewards of the right- 
688 



eous hereafter. The road to the kingdom 
of heaven lies not through the saloon of 
midnight frivolity and dissipation. There 
is the enchanted ground, where those who 
wander, lose their way and return no more. 



SURELY no Christian can have the ef- 
frontery to stand forward as the apol- 
ogist of gaming. It requires no high de- 
gree of common virtue, not to say evan- 
gelical purity, to induce every person of 
reflection to denounce it as immoral and 
irreligious. And indeed everything that 
approaches to such a detestable vice, or 
that familiarizes the principle to the rising 
generation, ought to be avoided as one 
would avoid the pestilence. Bat perhaps 
it may be asked, whether the playing of 
cards for diversion merely is wrong. To 
this it may be replied, that, though harm- 
less in themselves and as they are some- 
times used, yet, as they are seldom em- 
ployed except in the service of gaming, 
their character is at least equivocal, and 
therefore a Christian had better never in- 



dulge himself in such a pastime. Things 
innocent in their own nature are often 
made dangerous by their accompaniments; 
and it has been judiciously observed, that 
" the atmosphere of a card table is one in 
which religious principles will droop, and 
wither, and die." And it is believed that 
there are more persons ruined by those 
pleasures which are pronounced innocent 
than by those styled guilty. 

NOVhL READING. 

THERE is no species of reading, says 
a learned and pious clergyman to his 
daughter, to which young females are 
more inclined, or from which they are so 
much in danger, as that of novels ; on 
which account, I must say that I do not 
wish you ever to read a novel. For, admit 
that a few may be regarded as harmless 
and unexceptionable, I cannot doubt that 
the time which you would occupy in read- 
ing them might be employed to better pur- 
pose in studying the actual realities of 
life, as they are exhibited by the biogra- 
pher or the historian ; and, moreover, 
6go 



there is danger, if you begin to read works 
of fiction with an intention to read but 
few, and to confine yourself to the better 
class, that your relish for these produc- 
tions will increase till you can scarcely 
feel at home unless the pages of a novel 
are spread before you ; and, what is still 
more to be dreaded, that you will read in- 
discriminately the most corrupt as well as 
the most exceptionable. You may rest 
assured that a character formed under the 
influence of novel reading is miserably fit- 
ted for the purposes of practical life. 
The imagination being hereby wrought 
into a feverish state gains the ascendency 
over the judgment, and a thousand bright 
visions rise up before the mind which ex- 
perience proves to be unreal. This spe- 
cies of reading, moreover, inspires a dis- 
gust for the sober and practical realities 
in which we have to mingle; and, what is 
worse than all, it often closes every ave- 
nue through which the awful truths of re- 
ligion can be conveyed to the heart. 7" 
say, then, as you would avoid forming a 
character which combines all the elements 
691 



of insipidity, corruption and moral death, 

BEWARE OF THE READING OF NOVELS. 

THE whole course of a man's life out 
of Christ is nothing but a continual 
trading in vanity, running a circle of toil 
and labor, and reaping no profit at all. 

HE only knows aright how to live in the 
world that hath learned to die to the 
world. 

VANITY. 

I HAVE run the silly rounds of business 
and of pleasure, and I have done with 
them all. I have enjoyed all the pleasures 
of the world, and consequently know 
their futility, and do not regret their loss. 
I appraise them at their real value, which, 
in truth, is very low ; whereas those who 
have not experienced always overrate 
them. They only see the gay outside, 
and are dazzled with their glare. But I 
have been behind the scenes. I have 
seen all the coarse pulleys and dirty ropes 
which exhibit and move the gaudy ma- 
chine. I have seen and smelt the tallow 
candles which illuminate the whole deco- 
692 



ration to the astonishment and admira- 
tion of an ignorant multitude. When I 
reflect upon what I have seen, heard, and 
done, I can hardly persuade myself that 
all the frivolous hurry, bustle, and pleas- 
ure of the world had any reality ; but I 
look upon all that has past as one of those 
romantic dreams which opium commonly 
occasions, and I do by no means desire 
to repeat the nauseous dose for the sake 
of the fugitive dream. I think of nothing 
now but killing Time, as he has become 
mine enemy; and I will sleep in the car- 
riage the remainder of the journey. — Lord 
Chesterfield. 

RELIGION. 

God to love and serve 

With all our powers, with all our heart, and 

soul, 
And mind, and strength, and, as ourselves, to 

love 
Our neighbor, — this is religion ; this doth God 
Demand ; and only this can bear the test 
Of consc'ence here— hereafter of judgment. 

— Miller. 



693 



MEDITATION ON TRUTH. 

IT is not hasty realing, but seriously 
meditating, upon holy and heavenly 
truths that makes them prove sweet and 
profitable to the soul. It is not the bee's 
touching on the flowers that gathers 
honey, but her abiding for a time upon 
them and drawing out the sweet. It is 
not he that reads most, but he that medi- 
tates most, on divine truth that will prove 
the choicest, wisest, strongest Christian. 
—Bishop Hall. 

THE FUTURE. 

EVERYTHING that looks to the fu 
ture elevates human nature ; for never 
is life so low or so little as when occupied 
with the present. — Landon. 

FUTURITY. 

ETERNITY ! thou pleasing, dreadful 
thought ! 
Throuph what variety of untried being, 
Through what new scenes and changes, must 

we pass ? 
The wide, th' unbounded prospect lies before 

me ; 
But shadows, clouds and darkness rest upon it. 
— Addison, 
694 



THE CHRISTIAN. 

NO man is so happy as a real Christian ; 
none so rational, so virtuous, so 
amiable. How little vanity does he feel, 
though he believes himself united to God ! 
How far is he from abjectedness when he 
ranks himself with the worms of the 
earth ! — Pascal. 

CHARITY. 

NOTHING truly can be termed my own 
But what I make my own by using well, 
Those deeds of charity which we have done 
Shall stay forever with us ; and that wealth 
Which we have so bestowed we only keep : 
The other is not ours. — Middlelon. 

HE that would undermine the founda- 
tions of our hope for eternity seeks to 
beat dovn the column which supports the 
feebleness of humanity. — Nevins. 

TO communicate happiness is worthy the 
ambition of beings superior to man ; 
for it is the first principle of action with 
the Author of all existence. It was God 
that taught it as a virtue ; and it is God 
that gives the example. — Langhortie. 

695 



EXTRACT FROM LETTER OF THE REV. J. 
NEWTON. 

"T THINK your experince is generally 
1 of the fearful, doubting cast. Such 
souls, however, God has given particular 
charge to his ministers to comfort. He 
knows our infirmities and what tempta- 
tions mean ; and, as a good Shepherd, he 
expresses a peculiar care and tenderness 
for the weak of the flock. But how must 
I attempt your comtort ? Surely not by 
strengthening a mistake to which we are 
all too liable, by leading you to look into 
your own heart for (what you will never 
find there) something in yourself whereon 
to ground your hopes, if not wholly, yet 
at least in part. Rather let me endeavor 
to lead you out of yourself ; let me invite 
you to look to Christ. Should we look 
for light in our own eyes or in the sun ? 
Is it indwelling sin that distresses you ? 
Then I will tell you (though you know it) 
that Jesus died for sin and sinners. I can 
tell you that his blood and righteousness 
are of infinite value ; that his arm is al- 
mighty and his compassion infinite ; yea, 
696 



you yourself read his promises every day; 
and why should you doubt their being ful- 
filled ? If you say you do not question 
their truth, or that they are accomplished 
to many, but that you can hardly believe 
that they belong to you, I would ask what 
evidence you would require ? A voice or 
an angel from heaven you do not expect. 
Consider if many of the promises are 
not expressly directed to those to whom 
they belong. When you read your name 
on the superscription of this paper you 
make no scruple to open it : why, then, 
do you hesitate at embracing the promises 
of the gospel, where you read that they 
are addressed to those who mourn, who 
hunger and thirst after righteousness, who 
are poor in spirit, and cannot but be sen- 
sible that a gracious God has begun to 
work these dispositions in your heart ? If 
you say that, though you do at times 
mourn, hunger, &c, you are afraid you 
do it not enough or not aright, consider 
that this sort of reasoning is very far from 
the spirit and language of the gospel ; for 
it is grounded on a secret supposition 
697 



that, in the forgiveness of sin, God has 
respect to something more than the atone- 
ment and mediation of Christ ; namely, 
to some previous good qualifications in a 
sinner's heart which are to share with the 
blond of Christ in the honor of salvation 
The enemy deceives us in this matter the 
more easily because a propensity to the 
covenant of works is part of our natural 
depravity. Depend upon it, you will 
never have a suitable and sufficient sense 
of the evil of sin and of your share in it 
so long as you have any sin remaining in 
you. We must see Christ as he is before 
our apprehensions of any spiritual truth 
will be complete. But if we know that we 
must perish without Christ, and that he is 
able to save to the uttermost, we know 
enough to warrant us to cast our souls 
upon him ; and we dishonor him by fear- 
ing that when we do so he will disappoint 
our hopes. * * * Aim at a cheerful 
spirit. The more you trust God, the bet- 
ter you will serve him. While you in- 
dulge unbelief and suspicion you weaken 
your own hands and discourage others. Be 



thankful for what he has shown you, and 
wait upon him for more : you shall find 
he has not said, ' Seek ye my face ' in 
vain." 

INDISPUTABLY, the believers in the 
gospel have a great advantage over all 
others, for this simple reason, that if true, 
they will have their reward hereafter ; and if 
there be no hereafter, they can but be with 
the infidel in his eternal sleep, having had 
the assistance of an exalted hope through 
life without subsequent disappointment. — 
Lord Byron. 

MANY, says Mr. Newton, have puz- 
zled themselves about the origin of 
evil. I am content to observe that there 
is evil, and that there is a way to escape 
from it ; and with this I begin and end. 

DEVOTION IN THE YOUNG. 

IT is of the utmost importance to sea- 
son the passions of the young withdk- 
votion, which seldom dies in the mind 
which has received an early tincture of it. 
Though it may seem extinguished for a 
while by the cares of the world, the heats 
699 



of youth, or the allurements of vice, it 
generally breaks out and discovers itself 
again as soon as discretion, consideration, 
age, or misfortunes have brought the man 
to himself. The fire may be covered and 
overlaid, but cannot be entirely quenched 
and smothered. — Addison. 

man's works not meritorious. 

WHAT merit can there be in works ? 
If you give much alms, whose is 
the money ? " The silver is mine, and the 
gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts." 
If you mortify the body, whose are the ma- 
cerated limbs? If you put sackcloth on 
the soul, whose is the chastened spirit ? 
If you be moral, and honest, and friendly, 
and generous, and patriotic, whose are the 
dispositions which you exercise, whose the 
powers to which you give culture and 
scope ? And, if you only use God's gifts, 
can that be meritorious ? You may say yes ; 
it is meritorious to use them aright whilst 
others abuse them. But is it wickedness 
to abuse ? Then it can only be duty to 
use aright \ and duty will be merit when 
700 



debt is donation. You may bestow a for- 
tune in charity \ but the wealth is already 
the Lord's. You may cultivate the vir- 
tues which adorn and sweeten human life ; 
but the employed powers are the Lord's. 
You may give time and strength to the 
enterprises of philanthropy; each mo- 
ment is the Lord's, each sinew is the 
Lord's. You may be upright in every 
dealing of trade, scrupulously honorable 
in all the intercourse of life ; but " a just 
weight and balance are the Lord's ; all 
the weights of the bag are his work." 
And where, then, is the merit of works ? 
O, throw into one heap each power of the 
mind, each energy of the body ; use in 
God's service each grain of your sub- 
stance, each second of your time ; give 
to the Almighty every throb of the pulse, 
every drawing of the breath ; labor and 
strive, and be instant, in season and out 
of season ; and let the steepness of the 
mountain daunt you not, and the swell- 
ings of the ocean deter you not, and the 
ruggedness of the desert appall you not ; 
but on, still on, in toiling for your Maker ; 
701 



and dream, and talk, and boast of merit 
when you can find the particle in the heap, 
or the shred in the exploit, which you 
may exclude from the confession, " All 
things come of thee ; and of thine 07vn, 
O God, have I given thee." — MelvilL 

" T OVE covers a multitude of sins." 
L/ When a scar cannot be taken away 
the next kind office is to hide it. Love is 
never so blind as when it is to spy faults. 
It is like the painter who, being to draw 
the picture of a friend having a blemish in 
one eye, would picture only the other side 
of his face. It is a noble and great thing 
to cover the blemishes and to excuse the 
failings of a friend ; to draw a curtain be- 
fore his stains and to display his perfec- 
tions; to bury his weakness in silence, but 
to proclaim his virtues upon the house 
top. — South. 

LET no man trust the first false step 
Of guilt ; it hangs upon a precipice 
Whose steep descent in last perdition ends. 
— Young. 



ALL the duties of religion are eminently 
solemn and venerable in the eyes of 
children. But none will so strongly prove 
the sincerity of the parent, none so pow- 
erfully awaken the reverence of the child, 
none so happily recommend the instruc- 
tion he receives, as family devotions, par- 
ticularly those in which petitions for the 
children occupy a distinguished place. 

JAMES HERVEY. 

THIS eminent Christian and zealous 
minister, was horn February 26, 17 13. 
In early life he was impressed with the 
importance of religion, but unacquainted 
with its nature. The state of his mind at 
this time is illustrated by the following an- 
ecdote : — 

In the parish where he lived there re- 
sided a plain farmer, who attended his 
ministry, and who was well acquainted 
with the doctrines of grace. Mr. H. one 
morning said to him, "What do you think 
is the hardest thing in religion ?" To 
which he replied, " I am but a poor, illit- 
erate man, and you, sir, are a minister ; I 
703 



beg leave to return the question." Then 
said Mr. H., " I think the hardest thing is 
to deny sinful self," and applauded, at 
some length, this kind of self-denial. The 
poor man replied, " Mr. H., you have for- 
gotten the greatest act of grace of self- 
denial ; which is, to deny ourselves of a 
proud confidence in our own obedietice for 
justification." 

In repeating the story to a friend, Mr. 
H. remarked, "I then hated the right- 
eousness of Christ. I looked at the man 
with astonishment and disdain, and thought 
him a fool. I have since clearly seen 
who was the fool — not the wise old Christ- 
ian, but the proud James Hervey." Lit- 
tle as he knew at this time of the way of 
peace, light soon afterwards shone upon 
his mind. " The light," says he, " was 
not instantaneous; it did not fiasn upon 
my soul, but arose like the dawning of the 
day. Now, were I possessed of all the 
righteous acts that have made saints and 
martyrs famous in all generations, could 
they be transferred to me, and might I 
704 



call them all my own, I would renounce 
them all, ' that I might win Christ.' " 

Being himself taught by the Spirit of 
truth, it now became his delight to dis- 
play the glories of the gospel to others. 
His pulpit no longer resounded with dis- 
courses on mere heathen morality ; but 
"Christ crucified" was the theme on 
which he dwelt. 

THE DISPENSATIONS OF GOD. 

IN all his dispensations, God is at work 
for our good. In prosperity he tries 
our gratitude ; in mediocrity our content- 
ment; in misfortune our submission; in 
darkness our faith ; under temptations our 
steadfastness ; and at all times our obedi- 
ence and trust in him. — H. More. 

GOD. 

MAKER, Preserver, my Redeemer, God ! 
Whom have I in heaven but thee alone ? 
On earth, but thee, whom should I praise, 

whom love ? 
For thou hast brought me hitherto, upheld 
By thy omnipotence ; and from thy grace, 
Unbought, unmerited, though not unsought, 

705 



The well of salvation, hast refreshed 
My spirit, watering it at morn and eve. 

Pollok. 
SCEPTICISM. 

WHEN one infidelity can persuade 
men that they shall die like beasts, 
they will soon be brought to live like beasts 
also. — South. 

OUR SINS. 

WHEN we think of death, a thousand 
sins which we have trodden as 
worms beneath our feet rise up against us 
as flaming serpents. 

THE bad man's death is horror ; but the just 
Does but ascend to glory from the dust. 

Hobbington. 

RELIGION. 

POLITICAL eminence and profession- 
al fame fade and die with all things 
earthly. Nothing of character is really 
permanent but virtue and personal worth. 
These remain. Real goodness does not 
attach itself merely to life — it points to 
another world. Political and professional 
fame cannot last forever; but a conscience 
. 706 



void of offence before God and man is 
an inheritance for eternity. Religion, 
therefore, is a necessary, an indispensable, 
element in a?iy great human character. 
There is no living without it. Religion is 
the tie that connects man with his Creator 
and holds him to his throne. If that tie 
is sundered or broken he floats away a 
worthless atom in the universe, its proper 
attractions all gone, its destiny thwarted, 
and its whole future nothing but darkness, 
desolation, and death. A man with no 
sense of religious duty is he whom the 
Scriptures describe in so terse but terrific 
a manner as " living without God in the 
world." Such a man is out of his proper 
being, out of the circle of all his happi- 
ness, and away, far, far away, from the 
purposes of his creation. — Daniel Web- 
ster. 

FOLLY OF ATHEISM. 

WHAT can be more foolish than to 
think that all this rare fabric of 
heaven and earth should come by chance, 
when all the skill of art is not able to 
707 



make an oyster ? To see rare effects and 
no cause, a motion without a mover, a 
circle without a centre, a time without an 
eternity, a second without a first, — these 
are the things so against philosophy and 
natural reason that he must be a beast in 
his understanding who can believe in them. 
The thing formed says that nothing formed 
it ; and that which is made is, while that 
which made it is not! This folly is infi- 
nite. — Jeremy Taylor. 

AFFLICTION is the good man's shining 
scene ; 
Prosperity conceals his brightest ray : 
As night to stars, woe lustre gives to man. 

— Young. 

RELIGION is the great ornament and 
glory of human nature — that which 
principally distinguishes men from the in- 
ferior order of creatures, and upon which 
alone are grounded all the hopes of life 
and happiness hereafter, when this short 
and transitory life shall be passed away. 
In a matter of so great importance, there- 
fore, 'tis very wonderful that any man who 
calls himself a reasonable creature should 
708 



be careless and indifferent ; careless wheth- 
er he has any religion or none ; indifferent 
whether his religion, when he does pos- 
sess any, be true or false ; careless, when 
he has embraced the true religion, wheth- 
er he makes any improvement in his prac- 
tice answerable to it or no. — S. Clark. 

HOW shocking must thy summons be, O 
Death, 
To him that is at ease in his possessions, 
Who, counting on long years of pleasure here, 
Is quite unfurnished for the world to come ! 

HE that does not know those things 
which are of use and necessity for 
him to know is but an ignorant man, 
whatever he may be besides. — Tillot- 
son. 

BE wise to-day ; 'tis madness to defer ; 
Next day the fatal precedent will plead ; 
Thus on, till wisdom is pushed out of life. 
— Young. 

HYPOCRISY itself does great honor, 
or rather justice to religion, and 
tacitly acknowledges it to be an ornament 
to human nature. The hypocrite would 
not be at so much pains to put on the ap- 
709 



pearance of virtue if he did not know it 
was the most proper and effectual means 
to gain the love and esteem of mankind. 
— Addison. 

PERFUMES, the more they're chafed the 
more they render 
Their pleasant scents ; and so affliction 
Expresseth virtue fully, whether true 
Or else adulterate. — J. Webster. 

THE truly great and good in affliction 
bear a countenance more princely 
than they are wont ; for it is the temper 
of the highest hearts, like the palm tree, 
to strive most upwards when it is most 
burdened. — S. P. Sidney. 

AN industrious and virtuous education 
of children, says Addison, is a better 
inheritance for them than a great estate. 

TRUE merit, like a river, the deeper it 
is the less noise it makes. 

AGE should fly concourse, cover in retreat 
Defects of judgment, and the will subdue ; 
Walk thoughtful on the silent, solemn shore 
Of that vast ocean it must sail so soon. 



"1 1 7"EEP not that the world changes ; did it 

A stable, changeless course, 'twere cause to 
weep. — Bryant. 

AFFLICTIONS OF THE RIGHTEOUS. 

IF there be one season at which, more 
than at another, the righteous feel the 
worth of revelation and the blessedness 
of obeying its precepts, the season must 
be that of danger and trouble. Whether 
the danger and trouble be public or do- 
mestic, whether it be his country or only 
his own household over which calamity 
hangs, the man of piety finds a consola- 
tion in religion which makes him more 
than ever prize the revealed will of God. 
There is a beauty and energy in the Bible 
which nothing but affliction can bring out 
and display ; and men know comparative- 
ly little of the preciousness of scriptural 
promises and the magnificence of scrip- 
tural hopes until placed in circumstances 
of difficulty and distress. There are al- 
ways one or two stations from which you 
gain the best view of a noble and diversi- 
fied landscape; and it is when "con- 
711 



strained to dwell with Meshech, and to have 
our habitation among the tents of Kedar," 
that our gaze includes most of what is 
glorious and brilliant in the scheme of di- 
vine mercy. It is the promise of God in the 
ninety-first psalm, — a promise addressed to 
every one who makes God his trust, — " I 
will be with him in trouble." But when 
or where is God not with us ! " Whither 
shall I go from thy Spirit, or whither shall 
I flee from thy presence ?" Indeed, we 
all know that every where is the universe 
full of Deity, and that at no time and in 
no place can we be at a distance from 
God ; and yet, as though in the day of 
darkness and disaster the Omnipresent 
could so redouble his presence that every 
other day should be, in comparison, one 
of absence, the promise is, " I will be with 
him in trouble." And the promise is so 
fulfilled in the experience of the righteous 
that they will own their sorrows to have 
been far more than compensated by the 
consolations afforded in the hour of trib- 
ulation, so that it would have been clear- 
ly for their loss to have escaped their 
712 



trials. They are gainers by their troubles ; 
for God removes no good without leaving 
a greater. If he take away an earthly 
friend, he gives them more of himself. 

BENEFIT OF AFFLICTIONS. 

VARIOUS and blessed are the fruits of 
affliction. By affliction prayer is 
quickened ; for our devotions are apt to 
grow languid and formal in a time of ease. 
They are useful, and in a degree neces- 
sary, to keep alive in us a conviction of 
the vanity and unsatisfying nature of the 
present world and all its enjoyments ; to 
remind us that this is not our rest; and to 
call our thoughts upwards, where our true 
treasure is, and where our conversation 
ought to be. They help us also to under- 
stand the Scriptures, especially the prom- 
ises, most of which being made to times 
of trouble, we cannot so well know their 
fulness, sweetness, and certainty as when 
we have been in the situation to which 
they are suited, and have been enabled to 
trust and plead them, and found them ful- 
filled in our own case. We are usually 
713 



indebted to affliction, also, as the means 
or occasion of the most signal discoveries 
we are favored with of the wisdom, power, 
and faithfulness of the Lord. These are 
best observed by the evident proofs we 
have that he is near to support us under 
trouble, and that he can and does deliver 
us out of it. Afflictions are designed, 
likewise, for the manifestation of our sin- 
cerity to ourselves and to others. When 
faith endures the fire, we know it to be of 
the right kind; and others who see that we 
are brought safe out and lose nothing but 
the dross, will confess that God is with us 
of a truth. Surely this thought should re- 
concile us to suffer, not only with patience, 
but with cheerfulness, if God may be 
glorified in us. This made the apostle 
rejoice in tribulation, that the power of 
Christ might be noticed as resting upon 
him and working mightily in him. Many 
of our graces, likewise, cannot thrive or 
show themselves to advantage without 
trials, such as resignation, patience, meek- 
ness, long suffering. So, again, it is by 
our own sufferings that we learn to pity 
7i4 



and sympathize with others in their suffer- 
ings; such a compassionate disposition, 
which excites our feelings for the afflicted, 
is an eminent branch of the mind which 
was in Christ. But these feelings would 
be very faint if we did not in our experi- 
ence know what sorrows and temptations 
mean. Afflictions do us good, likewise, 
as they make us more acquainted with 
what is in our hearts, and thereby promote 
humiliation and self-abasement. And, to 
say no more, they are honorable, as they 
advance our conformity to Him who suf- 
fered so much for us. Let us, then, ever 
bear them with patience and resignation. 

MIRTH, says Addison, is like the flash 
of lightning that breaks through the 
gloom of the clouds and glitters for a mo- 
ment ; cheerfulness keeps up a daylight in 
the soul, filling it with a steady and per- 
petual serenity. 

A MIND full of piety and knowledge is 
always rich ; it is a bank that never 
fails ; it yields a perpetual dividend of 
happiness. 

7i5 



THE wages that sin bargains for with 
the sinner are life, pleasure, and 
profit; but the wages it pays him are 
death, torment, and destruction. To un- 
derstand the falsehood and deceit of sin, 
we must compare its promises and pay- 
ments together. — South. 

" TF men knew what felicity," says Bis- 
1 hop Taylor, " dwells in the cottage of 
a virtuous man, how sound he sleeps, how 
quiet his rest, how composed his mind, how 
free from care, how easy his position, 
how joyful his heart, they would never 
admire the noises, the throngs of passions, 
and the violence of unnatural appetites 
that fill the house of the luxurious and the 
heart of the ambitious." 

THE strength and safety of the commu- 
nity consist in the virtue and intelli- 
gence of its youth, especially of its young 
men." — Hawes. 

GOOD temper is like a sunny day — it 
sheds a brightness on everything. 
SINGULARITY is laudable when, in 
contradiction to a multitude, it ad- 
716 



heres to the dictates of morality and 
honor. In these cases we ought to con- 
sider that it is not custom, but duty, which 
is the rule of action, and that we should 
be only so far sociable as we are reason- 
able creatures. Truth is never the less so 
for not being attended to ; and it is the 
nature, not the number, of actions by 
which we ought to regulate our behavior. 
Singularity in concerns of this kind ought 
to be looked on as heroic bravery, in which 
a man leaves the species only as he soars 
above it. What greater instance can 
there be of a weak and pusillanimous tem- 
per than for a man to pass his whole life 
in opposition to his sentiments, or not to 
be what he thinks he ought to be ? 

EXTRACT FROM A LETTER IN RELATION 
TO PRAYER. 

" TT is good for us to draw nigh to God. 
1 It is an honor that he permits us to 
pray; and we shall surely find that he is a 
prayer-hearing God. Endeavor to be 
diligent in the means; yet watch and 
strive against a legal spirit, which is al- 
717 



ways aiming to represent him as a hard 
Master, watching as it were to take ad- 
vantage of us. But it is far otherwise. 
His name is Love ; he looks upon us with 
compassion; he knows our frame and 
remembers that we are but dust; and 
when our infirmities prevail, he does not 
bid us despond, but reminds us that we 
have an Advocate with the Father, who 
is able to pity, to pardon, and to save to 
the uttermost. Think of the names 
and relations he bears. Does he not call 
himself a Savior, a Shepherd, a Friend, 
and a Husband? Has he not made 
known to us his love, his blood, his right- 
eousness, his promises, his power, and his 
grace, and all for our encouragement ? 
Away, then, with all doubting, unbelieving 
thoughts; they will not only distress your 
heart, but weaken your hands. Take it 
for granted, upon the warrant of his word, 
that you are his, and he is yours ; that he 
has loved you with an everlasting love, 
and therefore in loving kindness has drawn 
you to himself ; that he will surely accom- 
plish that which he has begun, and that 
718 



nothing which can be named or thought 
of shall ever be able to separate you from 
him. This persuasion will give you strength 
for the battle; this is the shield which will 
quench the fiery darts of Satan; this is the 
helmet which the enemy cannot pierce. 
Whereas, if we go forth doubting and 
fearing, and are afraid to trust any farther 
than we can feel, we are weak as water 
and easily overcome. Be strong, there- 
fore, not in yourself, but in the grace that 
is in Christ Jesus. 

LETTER OF THE REV. J. NEWTON. 

"TV /T ADAM : Your welfare I rejoice in; 
1V1 your warfare I understand some- 
thing of. St. Paul descr.bes his own case 
in a few words : ' Without were fightings, 
within were fears.' Does not this com- 
prehend all you could say ? And how are 
you to know experimentally either your 
own weakness, or the power, wisdom, and 
grace of God, seasonably and sufficiently 
afforded, but by frequent and various trials ? 
How are the graces of patience, resigna- 
tion, meekness, and faith to be discovered 
719 



and increased but by exercise ? God has 
called and armed us for the fight ; and 
shall we wish to be excused ? Shall we 
not rather rejoice that we have the honor 
to appear in such a cause, under such a 
Captain, such a banner, and in such com- 
pany ? A complete suit of armor is pro- 
vided, weapons not to be resisted, and pre- 
cious balm to heal us if haply we receive 
a wound, and precious ointment to revive 
us when we are in danger of fainting. 
Further, we are assured of the victory be- 
forehand ; and O, what a crown is pre- 
pared for the conqueror, which our gra- 
cious Savior will place upon every faithful 
head with his own hand! Then let us not 
be weary and faint ; for in due season we 
shall reap. The time is short ; and yet a 
little while, and the struggle of indwelling 
sin and the contradiction of sinners shall 
be known no more. You are blessed be- 
cause you hunger and thirst after right- 
eousness : he whose name is Amen has 
said you shall be filled. * * * The 
joy of the Lord is the strength of his peo- 
ple; whereas unbelief makes our heads 
720 



hang down and our knees feeble, dispirits 
ourselves and discourages others ; and 
though it steals upon us under a sem- 
blance of humility, it is, in fact, the very 
essence of pride. By inward and out- 
ward exercises God is promoting the best 
desire of your heart and answering your 
daily prayers. Would you have assur- 
ance ? The true, solid assurance is to be 
obtained in no other way. When young 
Christians are greatly comforted with the 
divine love and presence, their doubts and 
fears are for that season at an end. But 
this is not assurance ; for, so soon as God 
hides his face, they are troubled, and 
ready to question the very foundation of 
hope. Assurance grows by repeated con- 
flicts, by our repeated experimental proof 
of God's power and goodness to save when 
we have been brought very low and 
helped ; sorely wounded and healed ; cast 
down and raised again; have given up 
all hope and been suddenly snatched from 
danger and placed in safety ; and when 
these things have been repeated to us and 
in us a thousand times over, we begin to 
721 



learn to trust simply to the word of God 
beyond and against appearances ; and this 
trust, when habitual and strong, bears the 
name of assurance; for even assurance 
has degrees. * * * How little does 
the world know of that intercourse which 
is carried on between heaven and earth ! 
what petitions are daily presented and 
what answers are received at the throne 
of grace ! O the blessed privilege of 
prayer ! O the wonderful love, care, at- 
tention, and power of our great Shepherd ! 
His eye is always upon us ; when our 
spirits are almost overwhelmed within us 
he knoweth our path. His ear is always 
open to us ; let who will overlook and 
disappoint us, he will not. When means 
and hope fail, when everything looks dark 
upon us, when we seem shut up on every 
side, when we are brought to the lowest 
ebb, still our help is in the name of the 
Lord who made heaven and earth. To 
him all things are possible; and before 
the exertion of his power, when he is 
pleased to arise and work, all hindrances 
give way and vanish like a mist before the 
722 



sun. And he can so manifest himself to 
the soul and cause his goodness to pass 
before it that the hour of affliction shall 
be the golden hour of consolation. * * 
Circumstances and creatures may change ; 
but he will be an unchangeable Friend. 
The way is rough ; but he trod it before 
us, and is now with us in every step we 
take ; and every step brings us nearer to 
our heavenly home. Our inheritance is 
surely reserved for us, and we shall be 
kept for it through faith. Our present 
strength is small, and, without a fresh sup- 
ply, would be quickly exhausted ; but he 
has engaged to renew it from day to day ; 
and he will soon appear to wipe all tears 
from our eyes, and then we shall appear 
with him in glory." 



THE Bible tells me explicitly that 
Christ was God ; and it tells me as 
explicitly that Christ was man. It does 
not go on to state the modus or manner 
of the union. I stop, therefore, where the 
Bible stops. I bow before a God-man as 
723 



my Mediator ; but I own as inscrutable 
the mysteries of his person. 

It is thus also with the doctrine of the 
Trinity. Three persons are set before me 
as equally divine. At the same time, I am 
taught that there is only one God. How 
can the three be one, and the one be three ? 
Silent as the grave is the Bible on this 
wonder. But I do not reject its speech 
because of its silence. I believe in three 
divine persons because told of a Trinity ; 
I believe in one only God because told of 
a Unity ; but I leave to the developments 
of a nobler sphere of existence the clear- 
ing up the marvel of a Trinity in Unity. 
— Melvill. 

REV. C. SIMEON. 

IN the month of September, 1836, this 
gentleman took cold, and was soon 
after, at the age of seventy-six, laid upon 
his death bed. In answer to an inquiry 
whether he were supported by divine con- 
solations, he said, " I never felt so ill be- 
fore j I think my present state cannot last 
long ; but here I lie waiting for the issue 
724 



without fear, without a doubt, and with- 
out a wish." On a question being asked, 
"What had been lately passing in his 
mind, and of what he was at that time 
more particularly thinking ?" he replied, 
in the most animated manner, " I do not 
think now — I am enjoying." He also des- 
cribed his perfect acquiescence in the will 
of God, saying, with energy, " He cannot 
do any thing against my will." " Wheth- 
er I am to have a little less suffering or a 
little more," he said, on another occasion, 
''it matters not. All is right and well, 
and just as it should be ; I am in my dear 
Father's hands — all is secure. When I 
look to him, I see nothing but faithful- 
ness, and immutability and truth ; and I 
have not a doubt or a fear, but the sweet- 
est peace ; I cannot have more peace. But 
if I look another way, — to the poor crea- 
ture, — O, then there is nothing, nothing, 
nothing but what is to be abhorred and 
mourned over." 

As his end drew near he broke out, "It 
is said, 'O Death, where is thy sting?'" 
Then looking at us as we stood around 
725 



his bed, he asked, in an impressive man- 
ner, " Do you see any sting here ? " 

We answered, "No, indeed; it is all 
taken away." 

He then said, "Does not this prove 
that my principles were not founded on 
fancies or enthusiasm, but that there is a 
reality in them? And I find them suf- 
ficient to support me in death." 

Thus departed a laborious servant of 
God. He died November 13, 1836. 

EXTRACT FROM A LETTER OF THE REV. MR. 
NEWTON. 

" QURELY, when we see the most and 
O the best of the Lord's children so often 
in heaviness, and when we consider how 
much he loves them and what he has done 
and prepared for them, we may take it for 
granted that there is a need be for their 
sufferings. For it would be easy to his 
power, and not a thousandth part of what 
his love intends to do for them, should he 
make their whole life here, from the hour 
of their conversion to their death, a con- 
tinued course of satisfaction and comfort, 
726 



without any thing to distress them from 
within or without. But were it so, should 
we not miss many advantages ? In the 
first place, we should not then be very 
comfortable to our Head, nor be able to 
say, ' As he was, so are we, in the world.' 
Methinks a believer would be ashamed to 
be so utterly unlike his Lord. What ! the 
Master always a man of sorrows and ac- 
quainted with grief, and the servant al- 
ways happy and full of comfort; Christ 
despised, reproached, neglected, opposed, 
and betrayed, and his people admired and 
caressed ; he living in the want of all 
things, and they filled with abundance ; 
he sweating blood for anguish, and they 
strangers to distress; how unsuitable 
would these things be ! How much bet- 
ter to be called to the honor of filling up 
the measure of his sufferings ! A cup was 
put into his hands on our account, and 
his love engaged him to drink it for us. 
The wrath which it contained he drank 
wholly himself; but he left us a little af- 
fliction to taste, that we might pledge him 
and remember how he loved us, and how 



much more he endured for us than he will 
ever call us to endure for him. Again : 
how could we, without sufferings, manifest 
the nature and truth of gospel grace ? 
What place should we then have for pa- 
tience, submission, meekness, forbearance, 
and a readiness to forgive, if we had noth- 
ing to try us either from the hand of the 
Lord or from the hand of men ? A Christ- 
ian without trials would be like a mill 
without wind or water ; the contrivance 
and design of the wheel work withinside 
would be unnoticed and unknown without 
something to put it in motion from without. 
Nor would our graces grow unless they were 
called out to exercise : the difficulties we 
meet with not only prove, but strengthen, 
the graces of the spirit. If a person was 
always to sit still without making use of 
his limbs, he would probably wholly lose 
the power of moving them at last ; but by 
walking and working he becomes strong 
and active. So, in a long course of ease, 
the powers of the new man would certain- 
ly languish ; the soul would grow soft, in- 
dolent, cowardly, and faint ; and there- 
728 



fore the Lord appoints his children such 
dispensations as make them strive, and 
struggle and pant. They must press 
through a crowd, swim against a stream, 
endure hardships, run, wrestle and fight ; 
and thus their strength grows in the using. 
"By these things, likewise, they are 
made more willing to leave the present 
world, to which we are prone to cleave too 
closely in our hearts when our path is very 
smooth. Had Israel enjoyed their form- 
er peace and prosperity in Egypt when 
Moses came to invite them to Canaan, I 
think they would hardly have listened to 
him. But the Lord suffered them to be 
brought into great trouble and bondage, 
and then the news of deliverance was 
more welcome ; yet still they were but 
half willing, and they carried a love to the 
flesh pots of Egypt with them into the 
wilderness. We are like them : though 
we say this world is vain and sinful, we 
are too fond of it \ and though we hope 
for true happiness only in heaven, we are 
often well contented to stay longer here. 
But God sends afflictions one after an- 
729 



other to quicken our desires and to con- 
vince us that this cannot be our rest. 
Sometimes, if you drive a bird from one 
branch of a tree, he will hop to another a 
little higher, and from thence to a third ; 
but if you continue to disturb him he will 
at last take wing and fly quite away. Thus 
we, when forced from one creature com- 
fort, perch upon another, and so on ; but 
the Lord mercifully follows us with trials, 
and will not let us rest upon any. By de- 
grees our desires take a nobler flight and 
can be satisfied with nothing short of him- 
self ; and we say to depart and be with 
Christ is best of all. 

" I trust you find the name and grace 
of Jesus more and more precious to you, 
his promises more sweet, and your hope 
in them more abiding, your sense of your 
own weakness and unworthiness daily in- 
creasing, and your persuasion of his all- 
sufficiency to guide, support, and comfort 
you more confirmed. You owe your 
growth in these respects, in a great mea- 
sure, to his blessings upon those afflictions 
which he has prepared for you and sanc- 
73o 



tified to you. May you praise him for all 
that is past and trust him for all that is to 
come." 

FULNESS OF REDEMPTION. 

WE may affirm salvation to be great 
because of the completeness and 
fulness of the work, great in itself, as well 
as in its Author. We might be sure that 
what a divine agent undertook would be 
thoroughly effected ; and accordingly, the 
more we examine the scheme of our re- 
demption, the more may we prove it in 
every sense perfect. The sins of men 
were laid upon Christ, and the divinity 
gave such worth to the sufferings of the 
humanity that the whole race might be 
pardoned if the whole race would put faith 
in the substitute. There is, consequent- 
ly, nothing in our own guiltiness to make 
us hesitate as to the possibility of forgive- 
ness. The penalties due to a violated law 
have been discharged ; and therefore, if we 
believe in our surety, we are as free as 
though we had ?iever transgreseed. And 
is not that a great salvation which places 
73i 



pardon within the reach of the vilest of- 
fenders, and which, providing an atone- 
ment commensurate with every amount of 
iniquity, forbids any to despair who have a 
wish to be saved ? 

But yet further : this salvation not only 
provides for our pardon so that punish- 
ment may be avoided ; it provides also for 
our acceptance, so that happiness may be 
obtained. The faith which so interests us 
in Christ that we are reckoned to have 
satisfied the law's penalties in him, ob- 
tains for us also the imputation of his 
righteousness, so that we have a spotless 
covering in which to appear before God. 
Hence we have share in the obedience as 
well as in the suffering of the Mediator ; 
and whilst the latter delivers from the 
death we had deserved, the former con- 
signs to the immortality we could never 
have merited. And is not this a great 
salvation, — great in its simplicity, great in 
its comprehensiveness, — which thus meets 
the every necessity of the guilty and help- 
less, and which, arranged for creatures 
whom it finds in the lowest degradation, 
732 



leaves them not till elevated to the very 
summit of dignity ? 

ISABELLA GRAHAM. 

IN the last illness of this excellent wo- 
man she said to Mr. Bethune, her son- 
in-law, "My dear son, I am going to 
leave you — I am going to my Savior." 

" I know," he replied, " that when you 
do go from us it will be to the Savior; 
but, my dear mother, it may not be the 
Lord's time now to call you to himself." 

"Yes," said she, "now is the time; 
and O, I could weep for sin." Her words 
were accompanied with tears. 

" Have you any doubt, then, my dear 
friend?" asked Mrs. Christie. 

"O, no," replied Mrs. Graham; and 
looking at Mr. and Mrs. B. as they wept, 
she said, " My dear children, I have no 
more doubt of my going to my Savior than 
if 1 was already in his arms : my guilt is 
all transferred ; he has cancelled all I 
owed. Yet I could weep for sins against 
so good a God : it seems to me as if there 
must be weeping even in heaven for sin." 
733 



She was now surrounded by many of 
her dear Christian friends, who watched 
her dying bed with affection and solici- 
tude. On Tuesday afternoon she slept 
with little intermission. " This," said Dr. 
Mason, "may be truly called 'falling 
asleep in Jesus.' " It was remarked by 
those who attended her that all terror was 
taken away and that death seemed here 
as an entrance into life. Her countenance 
was placid and looked younger than be- 
fore her illness. 

At half-past twelve, A. M., July 27, 
18 1 4, her spirit gently winged its flight 
from a mansion of clay to the realms of 
glory, while around the precious remnant 
of earth her family stood weeping, yet 
elevated by the scene they were witness- 
ing. After a silence of many minutes 
they kneeled by her bed, adored the good- 
ness and the grace of God towards his de- 
parted child, and implored the divine 
blessing on both the branches of her 
family as well as on all the Israel of God. 



734 



REV. R. HALL. 

THIS excellent man had, during his 
whole life, suffered at intervals the 
most excruciating pain; and in his last 
hours he compared his own sufferings with 
those of his Savior, observing how light 
his were in the contrast, and saying that 
" though he had endured as much or 
more than commonly fell to the lot of 
man, yet all had been mercy." This com- 
parison seemed a favorite one with him, 
and he remarked, " that a co?itemplation 
of the sufferings of Christ was the best an- 
tidote against impatience under any troubles 
we might experience" recommending the 
subject to others as the antidote to dis- 
tress or death. 

" I was summoned/' says his physician, 
" to behold the last agonizing scene of 
this extraordinary man. His difficulty of 
breathing had suddenly increased to a 
dreadful and final paroxysm. * * * 
Mrs. Hall, observing a fixation of the eyes 
and an unusual expression on his counte- 
nance, and indeed in his whole manner, 
735 



became alarmed by the sudden impression 
that he was dying, and exclaimed, in great 
agitation, 'This cannot be dying.' He 
replied, ' It is death ; it is death — death !' 

the sufferings of his body ! Mrs. H. 
then asked him, ' But are you comforta- 
ble in your mind ?' He immediately said, 

1 Very comfortable, very comfortable,' and 
exclaimed, ' Come, Lord Jesus, come !' 
He then hesitated, as if incapable of bring- 
ing out the last word ; and one of his 
daughters, involuntarily as it were, antici- 
pated him by saying, ' Quickly,' on which 
her departing father gave her a look ex- 
pressive of the most complacent delight. 

THE following account of the last hours 
of the Rev. S. Winter is taken from 
Clark's Collection of Lives, vol. 2, p. 26 : 
" A little before the death of this good 
man, finding himself growing weaker, he 
desired that his will might be engrossed ; 
and he then endeavored to persuade his 
wife to be willing to part with him, ad- 
ding that it would not be long before they 
would meet again. He then prayed for 
736 



her and her relations. About 6 o'clock 
on Sunday, A. M., he raised himself up 
in his bed, and with a loud and cheerful 
voice called Mrs. W., and said, ' I have 
been conversing with spirits,' and, as in 
rapture, cried out, ' O the glories that are 
prepared for the saints of God ! The 
Lord hath been pleased this night to show 
me the "exceeding weight of glory" 
which is laid up in heaven for his chosen 
ones.' He said further, ' that he had 
studied and thought he knew as much what 
the glory in heaven was as any other man ; 
but he now saw that all the divines upon 
earth were mere children in the knowledge 
of the great mystery of heavenly felicity? 
He then desired that his family and friends 
might be assembled, that he might ac- 
quaint them with the discovery he had 
had ; but when he attempted to describe 
it he was so swallowed up in the contem- 
plation of it that he could not utter what 
he desired. And all that day, and even 
till he died, he continued in very high rap- 
tures and great acclamations of thankful- 
ness to God for Jesus Christ, the fountain 
737 



of that glory, and for the discoveries of it 
to him. Just before his death he lifted 
up his eyes to heaven and said, 'Come, 
Lord Jesus,' and presently, with a smiling 
countenance, added, ' Art thou come ?' 
and then expired." 



ARE we deceiving men, are we merely 
sketching ideal pictures to whose 
beauty and brilliancy there is nothing cor- 
respondent in future realities, when we ex- 
patiate on the glories of heaven, and task 
imagination to build its palaces and por- 
tray its inhabitants ? Yes, in one sense 
we deceive them : they are but ideal pic- 
tures which we draw. What human pen- 
cil can delineate scenes in which God 
manifests his presence ? what human col- 
oring emulate the effulgence which issues 
from his throne ? But we deceive them 
only through inability to rise sufficiently 
high ; we exhaust imagination, but not the 
thousandth part is told. They are de- 
ceived only if they think we tell them all, 
if they take the pictures which we draw 
738 



as perfect representations of the majesty 
of the future. 

When we speak to them of the deep 
and permanent repose of heaven ; when 
we enlarge on the manifestations of 
Deity; when we declare that Christ, as 
"the Minister of the sanctuary," will un- 
fold to his church the mysteries which 
have perplexed them j when we gather to- 
gether what is gorgeous, and precious, and 
beautiful in the visible creation, and 
crowd it into the imaginary wherewith we 
delineate the final home of the saints ; 
when we take the sun from the firmament 
that the Lord God may shine there, and 
remove all temples from the city that the 
Almighty may be its sanctuary, and hush 
all human minstrelsy that the immense 
tide of song may roll from thousand times 
ten thousand voices, — we speak only the 
words of truth and soberness, though we 
have not compassed the greatness nor de- 
picted the loveliness of the portion which 
awaits the disciples of Christ. O, as the 
shining company take the circuit of the 
celestial city, — as they " walk about Zion 
739 



and go round about her," telling the tow- 
ers thereof, marking well her bulwarks 
and considering her palaces, — who can 
doubt that they say one to another, '"As 
we have heard, so have we seen, in the 
city of our God.' We heard that here 
1 the wicked cease from troubling ; ' and 
now we behold the deep, rich calm. We 
heard that here we should be with the 
Lord ; and now we see him face to face. 
We heard that here we should know even 
as we are known ; and now the ample 
page of universal truth is open to our in- 
spection. We heard that here, with the 
crown on the head and the harp in the 
hand, we should execute the will and hymn 
the praises of our God ; and now we wear 
the diadem and wake the melody !" They 
can take to themselves the words which 
the dying leader Joshua used to the 
Israelites : " Not one thing hath failed 
of all the good things which the Lord our 
God spake concerning us : all are come 
to pass, and not one thing hath failed 
thereof. 

Shall it be said of any amongst ourselves 
740 



that they heard of heaven, but made no 
effort to behold it ? Is there one who can 
be indifferent to the announcement of its 
glories, one who can feel utterly careless 
whether he ever prove for himself that 
there has been no deceit, no exaggeration 
but that it is indeed a surprisingly fan- 
land, which is to be everlastingly the 
home of those who believe in the Re- 
deemer ? Everlastingly the home — " God 
will establish it forever." The walls of 
that city shall never decay ; the lustres of 
that city shall never grow dim ; the melo- 
dies of that city shall never be hushed. 
And is it of a city such as this that any 
one of us can be indifferent whether or no 
he be finally an inhabitant ? We will not 
believe it. The old and the young, the 
rich and the poor, all must be ready to 
bind themselves by a solemn vow that they 
will " seek first the kingdom of God and 
his righteousness." It is not the voice of 
a solitary and weak fellow-man which now 
tells you of heaven. God is summoning 
you; angels are summoning you; the 
myriads who have gone before are sum- 
74i 



moning you. We are surrounded by a 
"great cloud of witnesses." The battle- 
ments of the sky seem thronged with those 
who have fought the good fight of faith. 
They bend down from their eminence and 
bid us ascend, through the one Mediator, 
to the same lofty dwelling. They shall 
not call in vain. We know their voices 
as they sweep by us solemnly and sweetly. 
O, who will not adopt some such reflec- 
tion and prayer as this : " I have heard 
of heaven ; I have been told of its splen- 
dors and of its happiness. Grant, gra- 
cious and eternal Father, that I fail not at 
last to be associated with those who shall 
rejoicingly exclaim, * As we have heard, 
so have we seen, in the city of the Lord of 
hosts ?' " 



742 



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